Royal War
by Darien Fawkes
Summary: Princess Viera, newly ascended ruler of the Lion Galaxy comes to Earth to prove her strength against the Power Rangers! However, as the young princess faces her challenge, does she know the true nature of strength? Or where the real danger lies?
1. Royal War

**Legal:** I do not own Power Rangers or the associated names, places, characters, events etc. Anything not covered by these rights should be considered purely the creation of the author.

 **Rating:** T – there will be some mild adult themes, including language, violence and adult storylines.

Friday was a strange day in Summer Cove. It was a strange day because feelings about Friday were a lot more mixed than they were in other cities. Normally, for about ninety percent or more of the country…the world perhaps, Friday meant the end of a week. It meant an end of work, of school, it meant a couple of days of freedom. This wasn't something that was lost on Summer Cove. Most of the kids did have a sense of excitement as they tried to think of what they planned to do with their weekend before they needed to return to school on Monday morning. Unfortunately, though, thanks to Cosmo, Friday also meant something else. Friday meant that was the day every A&E unit was preparing for admissions to triple, perhaps even quadruple. Police departments had more officers on shift than any other day of the week, and the fire department were preparing for carnage. Friday was the day that Galaxy Warriors aired, and naturally that meant Friday was also met with a sense of dread.

The Rangers, even before the rest of the city figured out the pattern, always dreaded a Friday, knowing that was likely when they would face another attack. While it did mean that they were rarely caught by surprise and that they could prepare in a way for trouble, it also put more than a little bit of a damper on the week. As per usual, as they came in, the Rangers were a little subdued and a little on edge, waiting for their inevitable call to battle, but in the meantime they all had lives to get on with.

"Oh, look, snap!" Hayley joked as she and Calvin arrived, carrying buckets with cleaning supplies, finding Brody also with a bucket. He just smiled.

"I guess great minds think alike." He responded. The first class of the day was Mrs Finch's Maths Class, and this week she had set the challenge of a business studies project. The class were to divide into teams of two and come up with an idea for a small business to run. While the kids did learn through maths basics of how economics worked, namely the difference between positive and negative numbers, she wanted to ensure that the kids also got a short, sharp dose of reality before any of them thought they were going to drop out of High School and become the next Steve Jobs or Bill Gates. Business had so many hidden costs, so many moving parts that people would never even think about that most new businesses collapsed within the first two years of opening, and a significant number only lasted a few months.

The challenge was simple, each of the pairs was to come up with a simple business and run it for a weekend, and they would be graded on their success. Usually most failed miserably by the time everything had been tallied up and it was more a case of grading who had lost the least money, but on one or two occasions a project had broken even. The Holy Grail however was to turn a profit. Any team that turned a profit would be allowed to keep that profit, and the one that made the most profit would also win a trophy. So far though, in the five years Mrs Finch had run the challenge, no one had ever turned a profit. That didn't mean that the students weren't all eager to be the first.

"So, we're doing a pet grooming service." Calvin told him. "You?"

"Car wash." Brody answered. "I just wish I could find that Benny kid, he's meant to be my partner for this."

"Who's Benny?" Hayley asked. Calvin just shrugged his shoulders.

"I thought you guys had been here for years!" Brody stated.

"That doesn't mean to say I know every kid here!" Hayley protested. Levi arrived as they were talking.

"Hey guys." He greeted them. "So, this is the future of American business is it?"

"No, this is starting small." Calvin told him. "We figured if we start with a minimal investment then it'll be easier to make that investment back and break from the red into the black."

"That's a sound strategy." Levi said, nodding his head. "So, you're going for the minimal outlay approach as opposed to speculate to accumulate. Probably not a bad approach for a business you only intend to run for a couple of days."

"Listen to the captain of industry here." Calvin taunted the Gold Ranger. "Sorry, I wasn't aware you were an economic whizz kid."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Levi stated. "I mean being a professional musician for five years of course I have no idea about marketing, advertising, promotion, distribution, sales, tax, payroll…"

"Shutting up now." Calvin conceded as the bell rang.

"Well, that's one way to end that awkward conversation!" Hayley said, grabbing her boyfriend. "Alright, we'll see you later Levi."

"No problem." Levi answered with a smile. "Good luck!"

Up on the Warrior Dome, Cosmo was getting things ready for his extra special broadcast. Friday was always the busiest day for him, getting ready for the show, tonight was an extra special event. Tonight, the warrior he was sending was no ordinary warrior. Tonight, he was dealing with Royalty, and he wanted to make sure everything was up to a standard fit for their guest.

Princess Viera had become the Ruler of the Lion Galaxy, succeeding her father upon his death on Cosmo's own show. He was a little surprised at first that he was contacted by her, but from what he had heard her succession had not been a smooth one. The Lion Galaxy, which always was pretty much in a perpetual state of war anyway at least had some kind of order under a strong ruler, as her father had been, but it had been his lust for glory and bloodshed that had been his undoing. Like all bullies, one day he had run into someone stronger and tougher than he was. Seeking a further trinket in the form of the Galaxy Warriors Championship, he had run into Galvanax, and had met a grisly end at his hands.

Viera was young, and from what Cosmo understood, did not inspire the same sense of awe and fear her father had. Many disaffected nobles and more than a few warlords with aspirations of legitimacy had become emboldened with the King's passing, and the Lion Galaxy had descended into complete chaos as neighbours waged war on each other for advancement. Viera had concentrated on trying to stabilize the schism and so hadn't even arranged her coronation yet, which many took as a sign of weakness more than as a sign of her desire to see peace, a concept that many in her home system found laughable. She had contacted Cosmo to arrange a battle so that she could prove her strength, which as yet many saw as largely untested. Cosmo was not about to pass up a show like that.

"You there, do you call that a buffet?" He asked. "We're catering to a PRINCESS! This isn't the Green Room! Take all of this slop and throw it out at once! I want the very best of everything!"

"Cosmo, I need to talk to you!" Wrench babbled as he rushed into view, waving a clipboard as he ran up to him. "The budget for this show is getting out of control! The carpet, the catering…we've already blown the budget for ten shows on this!"

"Wrench my boy, you are production, not finance." Cosmo reminded him. "You just worry about making the show look fabulous and I will worry about making all that red ink into black ink."

"But we're already over by…"

"Wrench, I don't CARE how much we're over budget by!" Cosmo told him. "The studio audience tickets are going for a thousand Space Bullion a pop and they're still selling like hot cakes! The live pay-per-view pre-orders are in the trillions and that's before we even call action! You my boy need to calm down."

"There's…there's also the small matter of Lord Drillion." Wrench answered. He shifted a little closer. "We've tried to approach Princess Viera for the running order and he won't let anyone near her. He's already destroyed ten Basherbots!"

"Wrench, just give her some privacy." Cosmo answered. "She's a royal. If there's anything she needs no instruction in its public speaking."

"But…"

"Wrench, she's the ruler of the Lion Galaxy and she's bringing a bodyguard that has destroyed whole worlds." Cosmo answered. "Trust me, no one is going to care what she says."

"Cosmo!" Madame Odious called as she showed up. "The Champ wants to speak to you."

"Of course, I'll be right there." Cosmo assured her, before turning back to Wrench. "Wrench, I am telling you straight, this is a blank cheque. Whatever you want to spend on production, go ahead. I'll sign it off. Just make sure that show runs smoothly!"

As he walked away, Wrench just leaned against a wall.

"That's easier said than done with Drillion around." Wrench muttered, before returning to work.

Down on Earth, in Mrs Finch's class, the kids were all presenting their various business projects. The variation between the ideas ran the gamut from the surprisingly clever and promising, to some that were a little rushed or unambitious, to some that showed exactly why there were very few multi-millionaire business moguls under the age of 18.

"Sorry, I'm failing to understand…you're going to run a business…scooping up dog droppings?" She asked one couple. They started nodding furiously.

"Yeah, in my neighbourhood there are a ton of dog owners and a lot of them don't scoop!" One of them answered. "There's muck all over the place down there. So, we figure if we do it, then the place will end up a lot nicer and people will be happy!"

"I…see." Mrs Finch answered. She didn't doubt their story about the state of inconsiderate pet owners in their neighbourhood and how grateful people would be for someone to clean it up. Of course, she could only think that there was one glaring problem with their business plan. Namely, neither of them had seemed to consider the question who was going to pay them? "Well, good luck with that. Alright, Sarah and Preston, what do you have for us?"

Sarah and Preston looked to each other, before making their way out of the classroom. This caused a little bit of a stir since everyone else had pretty much had a very basic business plan that either only really required a brief explanation or required very little in the way of equipment. They were more than a little shocked as they wheeled a large trolley, covered in a white sheet into Mrs Finch's class. Mrs Finch leaned forward in her chair, clearly a little curious about this device as well. Sarah and Preston talked among themselves, trying to figure out which order they were going to speak in. Eventually they decided that Preston would lead off.

"Are you sick of cookies being a 'sometimes' food?" Preston asked the class, making the air quotes to put emphasis on the point. "Would you like to eat them for every meal of every day without making your mom mad?"

"Then dream no longer!" Sarah declared as he grabbed the sheet and whipped it off her machine. It looked like a giant E-Z Bake oven, with a pink exterior. Only there was a conveyer belt leading out of the side of it, and a giant cone on the top like a funnel. "Ta-Da! Allow us to present Sarah and Preston's Cookie Creator!"

"It's…a big E-Z Bake Oven." Victor scoffed. "Almost every five-year-old in town has one. What's so great about that?"

"Not every E-Z Bake Oven can do this." Preston said with a smile. "Tell them Sarah."

"Using a unique process of my own design, you can put any food you like in the top here." Sarah told them, pointing to the cone on the top. "And within moments a delicious, healthy cookie will come out right here!"

"So, no more will you have to decide between flavour and health." Preston said, using some of his stage presence. "Sarah and Preston's Cookie Creator!"

"So, this machine makes any food into a cookie?" Mrs Finch asked them.

"That's exactly right!" Sarah answered. "And just to prove it, I think a demonstration is in order. Who wants to try it out?"

Victor threw his hand up into the air and stood up before anyone else had a chance. Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Victor, what a surprise." She said sarcastically, looking to Preston. He was glad that they had run a test already. Sarah had predicted that someone would probably try out the claim that it would turn anything into a cookie and really put that claim to the test. Victor, she was sure, was just the kind of person that would try to trip them up in their initial presentation.

"Really?" He asked. "Delicious cookies from any food?"

"Well…yeah." Preston stated. "You know, anything edible. It won't work on asbestos or drywall or something like that."

"I highly doubt that." Victor stated.

"What, you think it WILL turn drywall into a cookie?" Preston asked, eliciting a laugh from the class. "Hey, the machine's good but it's not that good."

"Cute." Victor said in a withering tone as he snapped his fingers. "Bring me your lunch Monty!"

This caused a bit of a stir among the class, and Sarah and Preston looked to each other. Monty's lunches were pretty legendary in the school by this point. Back when he was getting bullied by Ace, and he was getting his lunch stolen, rather than confronting Ace about his behaviour, his parents had just started sending Monty to school with lunches no kid in their right mind would ever want to steal! Tongue, veal, kidney, sauerkraut, pickled cabbage, devilled eggs…Monty had grown accustomed to them but sure enough it would be the ultimate test for their machine. If they could make Monty's lunch palatable, then it would work on just about anything. Monty reluctantly brought his lunch box to the front of the class.

"Let's see, what's on the menu today?" Victor asked him. "Sardines."

The fish made a squelch as it dropped into the machine. Victor started looking around for other 'treats' that would test the rather bold claim that the machine would make ANY food into a delicious cookie.

"Broccoli." He declared, dropping pieces into the top of the machine. "And the piece de resistance, liver."

"Monty, dude, seriously does your mom hate you or something?" One of the kids asked as Victor tossed the meat into the machine. Sarah couldn't help gagging at the mere thought of it and was glad she didn't have to touch the vile thing. Instead, she just hit a couple of buttons to start up the machine. There were some noises, and soon the classroom was filled with some sweet smells that were surprisingly pleasant all things considered. After a few moments, a cookie rolled out of the conveyer belt, at which Preston picked it up with tongs, put it into a napkin and handed it to Victor.

"Here you go." Preston declared, hoping to pay Victor back at least a little for trying to mess up their report. Victor just turned to Monty instead.

"Here you go." He said, handing the cookie to Monty. The young kid took a tentative bite out of it, a little worried about the prospect of mixing his lunch with cookie ingredients. It was a little strange to think that a kid who once ate a whole carton of herring and red cabbage coleslaw would be worried about flavour. Everyone watched Monty, almost as though they were expecting him to explode, but after a few moments, he let out some contented sounds and looked to Victor.

"Say, this here is pretty good!" He commented.

"What?" Victor asked in disbelief. "Give me that!"

He took the cookie off Monty and tried it, and to his surprise, it really was pretty nice. He stared at Preston and Sarah in amazement.

"Hey, these are good!" He complimented them begrudgingly. Sarah and Preston both smiled and were about to hug, before stopping themselves and opting for a handshake, reminding themselves that they were in front of a class.

"Sarah, Preston, I think the public will really love your machine!" Mrs Finch complimented them.

"Thank you!" Sarah replied as she wheeled the device out of the way. Mrs Finch looked to Victor and Monty.

"And now, since you've managed to wait until everyone else has gone, and you've been kind enough to already make your way to the front of the class, let's hear what Victor and Monty have developed as a business idea." Mrs Finch stated, staring straight at Victor and Monty, who were currently still sharing the cookie. They both stared at her.

"Uhhhhhhhhh." Victor said rather eloquently. They had been hoping to ride out the class, that the bell would ring before they would have to present their idea. Victor had agreed to help Monty use the pictures he found from the relay race to try and track down his mystery dream girl.

"Well, um…see…the thing is…"

"We've…got to speak to a supplier!" Victor told her after stumbling to think of something to say.

"Yeah, that's right, a supplier!" Monty answered. "We have a business idea that is out of this world!"

"Well that's good." Mrs Finch stated. "So, what is it?"

"Um…" They continued to stare at each other and babble nonsensically, trying to think of a way to stall for time. Eventually the bell rang, much to their relief.

"Alright class, that's all for today." Mrs Finch stated. "I guess we'll just have to wait on a surprise from Victor and Monty, because as I'm sure you know boys, if you don't come up with a business idea, you both get an F! Class dismissed!"

As everyone started to get their things together and head for their next class, Monty looked to Victor.

"Victor, what are we going to do?" He whined. "We don't have a project!"

"I know Monty, we need something we can get a hold of right away, something that needs no prep time and something that doesn't need any start up capital." Victor stated, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

"I just wish we could have come up with something as good as that cookie thing." Monty grumbled. "I'm sorry about all that time we wasted Victor…"

"Monty, you're a genius!" Victor stated. Monty just stared at him.

"What?" He asked. "Wait, do you want to steal their cookie idea? Because I doubt I could make one of those things and I'm pretty sure it's against the rules…"

"Not cookies Monty, but what GOES with cookies?" He asked. "Follow me Monty, I have an idea!"

Monty didn't know what Victor was thinking, but right about now he didn't have any better ideas and so all he could do was follow his friend to what he hoped would be a business that would at least get them a passing grade.


	2. Viera's Invasion

"Alright Mr Thompson, just a little harder, and push…push!" A physiotherapist willed her patient as he lay on a mat. She was pushing on his foot, pushing his knee up into his chest.

"Is it a job requirement for you people to be complete sadists?" Al grunted as he pushed back as hard as he could. He was sweating profusely and he felt exhausted. Al had, unfortunately, been present at the attack at the Ribbon Tree, and been horrendously wounded by one of the stray blasts. He had sustained some heavy nerve and spinal damage and had been forced to remain in hospital under physical rehabilitation since then.

"Mr Thompson, I know it's difficult, but if you want to go home then you have to convince me that you don't need round-the-clock care." The physiotherapist reminded him. "You want to go, home, don't you?"

Al just nodded and grunted as he tried to push back against her. This wasn't the first difficult thing he'd had to do in his life. He'd gone through a number of tough times, and while some of them had been admittedly of his own doing, he had always fought to come back. He had fought to overcome his alcoholism, he had fought to keep his family, and he had fought to rebuild some of his credibility and his career following a conviction for fraud that had cost a lot of people everything. It was just one more tough fight he had to endure in his life, and he was damned if he was going to let it get the better of him.

"That's good, that's showing some real improvement." The physio told him. "If you keep up the hard work like this, you should be good to go home pretty soon."

"That's great news." Ellie said encouragingly from where she was watching this session. She had been a rock to Al through so much of his life, and he still couldn't believe his luck in having her. She had been through hell every bit as much as he had through everything, though in her case, none of it had been down to her. She had stuck by him through everything, and it was because of the threat of losing her and losing his daughter that he had worked so hard to turn his life around. "Are you sure?"

"Mr Tien is paying quite a bit for this treatment. I wouldn't be saying it if it wasn't true." The physio assured them. "It'll still be quite a while before I'd say you're a hundred percent, but I'd say there's no reason you wouldn't be more comfortable at home."

"I don't know, I'm getting a bit of a taste for those pudding cups." Al laughed weakly from the floor as she released him from the stretch.

"Well, there's nothing wrong with your funny bone that's for sure." She chuckled. "Who knows, you might even be back at work soon."

"Yeah…that's kind of a sticking point." He answered. "I still have to start looking for a new job when I get out of here."

"There's…there's no real rush." Ellie tried to reassure him.

"Ellie, Mr Tien might be paying for this treatment, but I still resigned." Al reminded her. "We can't keep eating into our savings, hell, we didn't have much to begin with."

"It's fine Al, you just worry about getting better." Ellie told him. "I can pick up some work, and…"

"That's still not a great long-term plan." He told her. "I need to find something else to do."

"Well, let's cross that bridge when we come to it." Ellie told him with a little smile. She didn't want to admit it, but things were starting to look a little bleaker than they had been. While Marcus Tien had promised to cover Al's treatment, and had even offered Al his job back, Al had felt that perhaps a little too much water had gone under the bridge to just go back to work for him. She loved Al, and above everything she loved his willpower, but unfortunately that did come with a lot of stubbornness. While returning to work for Mr Tien would solve a lot of problems, she couldn't see a way to convince him if he had made up his mind. "Things are fine at home for the time being, right now you're the priority."

"Well, all things considered I'd prefer not to be if this is what it feels like." Al commented as he was helped to a wheelchair to be returned to his ward. "You'd tell me if there was anything wrong, wouldn't you?"

"Of course, I would." She assured him. "You just go and enjoy that hospital food, build up your strength."

"Yeah, the pudding cups are fine but the rest of it isn't the best." He told her. "I can't wait to get back home and get some home cooking."

"Well, I promise you that we'll have whatever you want waiting when you do." Ellie assured him. As he was taken away, she continued to force her smile until he was out of view. As soon as he was gone though, she pulled out her phone to check her messages, hoping there were at least a couple of responses to the applications she had put out. It had been a while since she was in the work force, and options were limited, but as long as it brought in some money, she was willing to turn her hand to just about anything.

Up on the Warrior Dome, the studio was abuzz, but it wasn't the usual crowd that was in the studio tonight. Cosmo had anticipated the demand putting the Ruler of the Lion Galaxy on his show would create, and he had bumped the ticket prices up to a thousand Space Bullion apiece. People were paying it, and the studio was sold out, but far from the usual crowd, running the gamut from wealthy to commoner, this had brought out the crème de la crème of society. Cosmo had specifically instructed that everything be done to warrant the entry fee and keep the clientele in the manner to which they were accustomed. The chairs in the audience had been replaced with huge, plush reclining chairs. The refreshments had been replaced with delicacies from across the universe, and even the Kudabot servants had been decked out in tuxedos for the occasion.

The lights went up and music started blaring, but instead of the usual canned music from the sound system, but from a number of trumpeters. Cosmo strode out onto the stage, decked out in his very finest outfit, greeting his esteemed audience.

"Ladies and Gentlemonsters, welcome to a very special event right here on Galaxy Warriors!" He declared, addressing his audience. "In this very room we have some of the most influential and revered creatures in all the known universe, and yet we are all here for one purpose. Please put your hands together, for a Royal surprise!"

The horns started to blare once more as a red carpet was rolled out. A line of Kudabots followed it to ensure that it didn't have so much as a wrinkle before standing to attention at the side of it. They all started to bow as Princess Viera emerged.

She carried herself with the authority and regal grace of her position, despite her appearance. She was still young, barely more than a child, and yet already carried not just the responsibility of leading a kingdom, but the responsibility of convincing billions, perhaps trillions that had only followed her father out of fear that she deserved their loyalty and respect. The burden was even greater than her father's armour which was demonstrably far too large for her and looked more befitting of someone almost twice her stature.

Her armour was covered with a long, flowing cloak of black silk, emblazoned on the back with the lion crest of her kingdom. Her bodyguard, Lord Drillion was walking a few paces behind her. Cosmo came over to the end of the red carpet. "Please welcome to the stage, the new ruler of the Lion Galaxy, Princess Viera!"

"Bow to the Princess!" Drillion snarled as he pushed his way through the Kudabots, towards Cosmo and levelled his weapon his way. Cosmo didn't think to bow to Viera, he was presenting his show as he had always done. However, Drillion had made it clear he was not happy, and Cosmo didn't want to start the battle on his own ship if he didn't need to.

"Oh…right…I'm sorry." Cosmo answered, taking a knee and bowing his head. "Yikes, hello Your Majesty."

Drillion looked to Viera, who just waved him off. He stepped away from Cosmo and took up position at the corner of the stage. Princess Viera waited while a couple of Kudabots came and started to remove her cloak. She held out her arms as she stepped forward to greet her audience.

"In the name of the Lion Galaxy, I will destroy the Power Rangers, along with all enemies of my kingdom!" She declared proudly. The audience started to cheer loudly and applaud, but there was one exception. There was a stranger in the front row who didn't show any such enthusiasm for the battle. He seemed to sneer at the thought and whispered something to one of the other guests.

He had long, shoulder-length dark hair, and a humanoid face with pale skin, though it seemed to be lined with dark veins. He was wearing a long, dark cloak, which enveloped him. Viera noticed this man but didn't think to do anything about this display. She had seen such criticism in her own domain, and she was becoming used to it. As Cosmo hit the command, teleporting them to the Earth in a flash of light, she could only think that by the time the battle was done, she would silence all her critics, both at home, and in other systems.

In his chambers, Galvanax was watching the show unfolding, while Madame Odious sat with him. He liked to watch the show, just to keep track of things, but especially when there were strong, powerful warriors. He liked to be ready if there were prospective challengers to his title on the rise, but he was just as happy to watch for the entertainment of watching the senseless slaughter.

He seemed to be especially intrigued in this battle though, so much so he had hardly touched any of his usual refreshments. Odious kept an eye on the screen, watching the action, wondering what he was so interested in. This Princess Viera was a mere child, and from the reports she had heard from the Lion Galaxy a borderline pacifist, something that for most was seen as a way to guarantee an early death. She just gestured to the screen in disgust.

"People say she's a weak ruler." Odious declared dismissively, looking to her Champion. "Her father was one of your toughest opponents and he couldn't get the job done. Do you really think that she could defeat the Rangers?"

"I don't care if she can win or not. Her bodyguard Lord Drillion is as tough as they come." Galvanax declared. "If Princess Viera fails, I can just send Drillion against the Rangers."

"Do you think he will follow your orders?" Madame Odious asked him.

"All I need to do is make him an offer that he can't refuse." Galvanax stated. "Also, who was that?"

"Who?" Madame Odious asked him.

"That man in the front row, the one who confronted them." He clarified. Madame Odious just sneered.

"No doubt just some loud-mouthed fan who has delusions of their strength. An armchair warrior who thinks they're more powerful than they are." Madame Odious answered.

"I think not." Galvanax answered. "I sense something different about him. There's something in the way he carries himself. I want you to tap all your resources, find out who this man is."

"I don't think…"

"You are my manager, you are only paid to think about what I ask you to think about!" He snapped. "Now do as I say! In the meantime, I will see how Princess Viera does in her battle. Report to me when you have a name."

Victor and Monty had left the school after first period, but Monty didn't have the slightest idea what Victor's idea for their business studies project was. Unfortunately, he was still so hung up on his mystery girl he had taken his eye off the ball and so they didn't currently have a project.

He still couldn't stop thinking about her. Ace and his friends, as usual, were picking on him, but on that day, Victor was still waiting on his stylist before the relay race Victor wasn't with him and so Monty was on his own. They had free reign to do with him as they wished.

The mystery girl had shown up, standing directly in the path of Ace's car. A complete stranger had stood in Monty's defence, staring down Ace and his friends, warning them to leave him alone. Since that moment, he couldn't stop thinking about her. He had been searching the internet through every avenue he could think of to find her. All he had were a couple of images that had been caught on cameras at the relay race, but so far, he hadn't found her. He couldn't find a Facebook page, a Twitter account, an Instagram, anything. He had searched all the nearby schools and couldn't find her. It was like she had appeared from the very heavens like an angel. That seemed appropriate to him, she descended like an angel and had disappeared just as mysteriously, though the one thing that didn't do was help him find her.

They were now a long way from the city, walking down a long road, and Monty was quickly starting to wonder if Victor had an idea at all.

"Victor, are we there yet?" He whined. "My feet hurt!"

"My feet hurt too, but we don't have a ride." Victor told him. "The sooner we get there the sooner we'll be back."

"Be back from where?" Monty asked. He started to look around, before he noticed a sign. "Millport? What are we doing here?"

"What goes with cookies Monty?" Victor asked him. Monty just shrugged. "MILK! And where does one get milk?"

"From the store?" Monty asked him.

"From a cow Monty!" Victor declared proudly. "Think about it, we need an idea that we can start up straight away, doesn't take any start up capitol and we can start making money from as soon as possible."

"But we don't have a cow!" Monty reminded him, pointing out the obvious flaw in his plan. "So, we'll have to buy the milk from the farmer."

"Not if we 'borrow' a cow for a couple of days." Victor said, making the air quotes around the word borrow for emphasis. "There are so many cows around here, no one's going to miss just one. We take it back to Summer Cove, sell some milk and have it back before anyone even realises it's gone!"

"But Victor…"

"And we've already borrowed a bull once, a cow shouldn't be any trouble at all!" Victor answered. "Here, this is the place, right here."

"Victor, I'm not sure this is such a good idea." Monty stated nervously. "Didn't Mr Weston say something about cattle rustling being a crime in this state?"

"It's only cattle rustling if the cow is reported stolen and that only happens if we don't have it back before the farmer notices." Victor stated. "Until then it's just borrowing…without asking."

"I don't know…"

"Well, if you have a better idea for a business plan we can get going in the next few hours I'm all ears." Victor told him. "Otherwise, get your ass over this fence and help me get a cow!"

With that, Victor vaulted over the fence. Monty just gulped and climbed over the fence after him.

Back in the city, the other students were using their lunch time to get an early start on their business studies projects. Most of them were eager to ensure they got a decent grade and knew the best way to make that happen was to run the business as long and as hard as possible. It wasn't unknown for the kids to run their businesses for 14-16 hours a day across the weekend in previous years. Mrs Finch took this as a good lesson in what it took to start a business. Even in good economic climates it wasn't unknown for a business owner to have to work almost single-handed and still take months, even hears to see a penny of profit.

Calvin and Hayley were just putting out flyers for their business. It wasn't like most kids brought their pets to school with them, and so they were planning on setting up shop in the park the following day. Brody, he had disappeared, no doubt asking around the students and teachers if anyone wanted their car washed. The ones that were really making a go of things early were Sarah and Preston.

Selling cookies to kids at lunch time was a business plan that practically sold itself. Especially with the promise that they could turn any food the kids had into healthy cookies. There were kids queuing up all the way around the cafeteria to try out the miracle machine.

"Alright, two carrot and chicken cookies, enjoy!" Sarah said, placing a couple of cookies into a bag for one of her customers.

"That'll be three dollars." Preston chipped in, taking the payment. He smiled as he looked to Sarah, putting his arm around her. "Hey, this is going great! If we keep up with business at this rate, we'll win that trophy for sure!"

"I don't know about that, but I'd say we should get an easy A for sure." She responded, hugging him.

"Guys, come in!" Mick's voice sounded over their Ninja Comms. Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Great, I knew this was going way too smoothly." She muttered. "What is it Mick?"

"There's a monster attack near city hall." Mick told them. "I've not seen power like this since…well…I don't think I've ever seen anything like this!"

"So much for our great start." Preston sighed as he put a closed sign on top of the machine. The students all groaned loudly.

"Aw man, are you kidding me?" One of them complained.

"Sorry, there's been an um…mechanical fault." Sarah offered as an explanation. "The machine's making some noises I'm not happy with, so I just need to do some fine tuning."

"But we'll be in the park all day tomorrow!" Preston added as they gathered their things. "Tell all your friends!"

As they ran out, the student looked to his packed lunch, which he had hoped would be turned into cookies, and tossed it in the trash.

"Alright, I guess it's burgers after all." He stated, heading for the cafeteria line along with a lot of other disappointed students.


	3. Drillion's First Salvo

Out in Millport, Victor and Monty made their way to a barn in the middle of the field. It wasn't especially secure, Millport was one of those communities where the same families had lived in the town almost since it was first founded back in the late 1800's. There was a compounding factor that because of the sheer size of most of the farms, the term "neighbour" was relative and many lived more than half a mile from their nearest neighbour, but the fact was that everyone knew their neighbours. They had seen them grow up, they had gone to school with them, they had been baby-sitters for their kids, they saw each other in the local store or tavern virtually every day. While occasionally something would go missing, it was generally considered "borrowing" more than anything else since it would turn up eventually and usually everyone knew where it went. If someone needed a few tools or a ladder that they didn't own, it wasn't unknown for them to simply to go to a neighbour and take it, on the understanding it would be returned.

With that in mind, the only real security on the barn was a simple bar across the door which Victor was easily able to move. They were inside the barn within moments, and soon they were looking around. There were about a dozen cows, and the bull they had 'borrowed' for Victor's matador act a few weeks back, only to be disqualified and have to return it. However, it meant that Victor was pretty confident the owner of this farmer wouldn't notice if he took one of the cows and brought it back later.

"Alright, we're in." Victor said, looking to the bull, who looked up, but seemed to recognise him and snort in disinterest, before turning back into the corner and continuing to feed. "Don't worry, we're not here for you."

"There are a lot of cows here Victor." Monty pointed out. "Which one do we take?"

"I don't know, does it matter?" Victor asked him. "As long as it produces milk, who cares?"

"We have to walk her all the way back to town." Monty reminded him. "Maybe we should get to know them a little better, find the one that's friendliest?"

"Monty, when have you ever heard of a cow attacking someone?" Victor asked. Monty just shrugged.

"I don't know. I don't know anything about cows." Monty replied honestly. "I…don't even know where you get the milk from."

"You don't?" Victor asked. This was a very real sticking point in their plan. Victor was a city boy and didn't mind admitting it. He didn't know where you got milk from a cow either. He found a cow that didn't seem to recoil from them and seemed to be happy enough to let him pet her. "This is the one. Go online Monty, find out how you milk one of these things."

"Me?" Monty asked.

"I thought you knew about this stuff! You're the smart one!" Victor said as he went to the rope holding the cow and started working it. "I'll worry about getting Bessie here loose."

Monty pulled out his phone and started a google search, looking for a guide on how to milk a cow. He obviously expected there to be a guide or two, but he was more than a little surprised exactly HOW many hits there were. He had presumed there would be one accepted method on how to do it. He certainly didn't expect there to be over two and a half million hits! He was curious as to the fact people would be interested enough to read more than one guide or view more than one video, let alone create these documents. He went to the first YouTube video and pulled it up.

"Stupid rope, why do they tie it so tight?" Victor muttered, fumbling with the ropes to try and figure out how to loosen them. He had thought that untying the cow would prove to be the simpler part of the plan, but his days in the boy scouts…well…he didn't really pay too much attention. He had kind of lost interest after he learned that he couldn't take a TV or his smoothie machine camping. "How's that information coming along Monty?"

"Oh my." Monty commented, looking at the video. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He had to adjust his glasses as he watched the man in the video. "Really? Victor, you won't believe…"

"I won't believe what Monty?" Victor asked. He didn't get an answer though. "Monty, what won't I believe? Stupid knot, how do you loosen this?"

"Try pulling this bit." He heard an answer, as he was handed a length of rope. "Just pull it."

"Thanks Monty." He replied, before pulling it. He smiled as the knot just fell loose. "Nicely done Monty, now how about…"

Victor turned around, but instead of his friend, he only saw a thick, muscled chest. It had a pair of arms attached to it, one of which was holding a pump-action shotgun. He panned his gaze up, finding a face with a friendly smile, and a cowboy hat topping it. The stranger smiled. –

"So, that one's Monty? I guess I know one of your names at least." The stranger, presumably the man that owned the cows answered. Victor dropped the rope and started to run, urging Monty to do the same. The man just laughed.

"You can't outrun a shotgun! Not at this range." He warned them. Victor and Monty both held up their hands and turned around slowly.

"Listen mister…we uh…we weren't going to…"

"You know cattle rustling is still a serious crime out here." The man told them. "Legally I am entitled to shoot you both."

"We were just…we were just looking." Monty stammered. "We weren't…"

"So, you were looking up how to milk a cow while your friend untied one out of a sake of interest?" He asked them. They both looked at each other. That sounded lame even to them. "You both got in here without spooking any of the cows. Normally that's pretty difficult to do. They can be skittish around people they don't know."

"Look, we're sorry, we shouldn't have done it." Victor said. "But we haven't done anything so…"

"You know they also weren't spooked when someone took Freddy there." The man answered, pointing to the bull. "You two were the ones that took him, too aren't you?"

"Look, please, we've learned our lesson. Can we please just go?" Victor asked him. "We promise we won't be back."

"First, I'd like to know why you're so interested in borrowing my cattle." The man answered.

"We…we have a business project at school." Monty admitted. "We were going to sell milk."

"You were going to sell unpasteurised milk?" He asked. They both looked to each other.

"Unpasteurised?" They asked. The man just laughed. Clearly these two were no master rustlers, particularly if the didn't even know the issues they could run into selling unpasteurised milk. While it wasn't illegal, it had to be clearly marked as unpasteurised.

"You know, you'd still have been stealing the milk." He reminded them. "But…it's not often I meet people the cows are so at ease around, at least not without a couple of years around them for them to get used to them."

"Are…are you going to call the cops?" Monty asked. The man just put the shotgun over his shoulder.

"That depends." He said with a smile. "If I don't call the cops, are you two willing to do a little hard work?"

They both looked to each other and started nodding. Not getting arrested for cattle rustling did sound like a pretty good deal right about now.

"I think I might have a solution to a little problem some of the locals have and your little business project problem." He stated, extending a hand. "What do you say?"

"Sure!" Victor said, shaking his hand. "Thank you so much!"

"Matt Griffin." He answered. "And save your thanks. You might feel differently in a few hours."

Back in the city, Princess Viera and Drillion had arrived. Princess Viera bad split off from Drillion, looking for a good vantage point while Drillion went on a rampage to draw the Rangers out. She wanted to get a good view of the area to be able to see the Rangers arrive.

She was no coward, she had prepared herself for the battle, but while her father and Drillion rushed in, she was more of a strategist. She had studied numerous texts and recordings of battles, refining her understanding of how battles worked. By seeing how her enemies arrived, where they arrived from, how they formed up around Drillion, she could ascertain the most likely form the battle would take.

Drillion was doing what he did best, which was to say the "Scorched Earth" approach to battle. He always acted like it was a duty to his monarch, but Viera had been around Lord Drillion long enough to know he just enjoyed the carnage and the destruction. It was distasteful, but it was also a very useful tool. Sometimes, a sledgehammer was the right tool for the job.

Arriving on a balcony, finding the best view she could over the battle ground, she arrived to find Drillion tossing a car into the air, which exploded as people ran screaming for their lives. Viera honestly had no interest in any more casualties than necessary, these people had done nothing to her or to her dominion. Looking at the level of technology they had, she doubted they would even be able to REACH the Lion Galaxy within the next century, much less develop the kind of firepower needed to be any kind of legitimate threat to them. Drillion would probably feel cheated if he didn't spill at least some blood, but she almost felt good about the fact that it looked like most of the people here had the survival instincts to run before Drillion had his fill of pointless destruction and started looking for casualties.

"Lord Drillion, lay waste to this city!" She commanded. Lord Drillion looked up to the balcony where she was standing and saluted, though he grumbled something under his breath. He didn't need a spoiled child telling him how to do his job. Worlds much more advanced and powerful than this had been considered beneath the talents of someone like him. This was barely even enough to warm him up, never mind require him to need direction or cheerleading from her. He could only hope the Rangers were as tough as he had heard. They would provide a perfect opportunity to prove his strength, and perhaps have people speaking about who the real power was in the Lion Galaxy. "When the pitiful Rangers arrive, deliver them to their doom!"

Viera kept watch as Drillion continued his rampage, seeing the Rangers finally arriving. She was a little disappointed to see them all arrive from the same direction, and on foot. She had heard that these Rangers had caused the monsters of the Warrior Dome untold problems over the months since they premiered, but here she could see little in the way of any real strategy. They hadn't come from more than once side, there was no pincer movement, no sting in the tail, there was not even anyone cutting off an attempt to flee, not that she believed Drillion was even going to try. They didn't try to outmanoeuvre or use the speed of vehicles or cavalry to bring in a hard, fast attack. Instead, they ran mob-handed straight for him and lined up before him. It was strategy so basic it seemed almost juvenile.

"Hold it right there creep!" Brody yelled as he arrived. Drillion stopped what he was doing and turned to face the Rangers. He noticed the same thing Viera did. They weren't trying to attack him or to destroy him quickly, they didn't even attempt a surprise attack to overwhelm him. Instead they announced themselves to him. He would make sure he would punish their mistake harshly.

"Rangers, finally!" He growled. "I was beginning to get bored waiting!"

"So, you think you can beat us and win Galaxy Warriors huh?" Preston asked him. "Well, I've got news for you! This is our planet! That isn't going to happen!"

Sarah cast a little glance over Preston's way and flashed a smile, though it couldn't be seen under her helmet, before catching sight of something nearby. There was someone up on a balcony overlooking the battle. She had hoped that everyone was sensible enough to flee when they had the chance, though something she had learned in her time in the Ranger business was that sometimes people's curiosity or desire to see what was happening was a lot more powerful than their sense of self-preservation. Even before she had donned the suit herself, back in her days helping the Amber Beach team she had been astounded at the number of people who reached for their cell phones and cameras rather than the nearest exit when trouble started.

"On behalf of the Lion Galaxy, may I invite you to…your destruction!" Drillion declared, powering up his weapon and opening fire. Being distracted by the spectator, Sarah was hit pretty much dead on, while everyone else avoided the barrage. She landed in some nearby bushes, groaning about the irony of not taking her own advice in paying attention to the immediate threat.

The other Rangers rushed Drillion while she got her breath back, and from here she could see he was strong. Not just strong, but experienced and deadly. He had an answer for everything the Rangers threw at him, and quickly took them to task. She could attest herself that he was strong, it was taking her a moment to get back in the fight, and it looked like the others were finding the same.

"You're all even weaker than I thought! How you've given Galvanax such a difficult time I'll never know!" He stated as the Rangers tried to regroup. Sarah was just about out of the bushes, aiming to return to them as she saw him power up another huge attack. "I'll end you all!"

He fired off a wave attack that was designed to take down the whole team at once, but Brody managed to put an Element Star into his Ninja Sword and with a Steel Slash, he deflected the blast, though it still took him off his feet and sent the sword spinning away. Sarah could see that it was deflected away and high into the air, far from controlled as Brody simply threw it any direction he could away from them. She watched as it struck the balcony underneath the spectator. Masonry rained down, and she could hear a scream as the stranger fell head-first from the top of the building, plummeting towards the ground.

With barely a moment to think, Sarah slapped her Element Star into her Ninja Sword and focused on the bushes around her, which sprang into life, growing outwards rapidly towards the building, forming a long awning which reached up the wall and created a kind of chute. The stranger hit the chute, which had enough give to cushion her fall, and tumbled down it towards Sarah. The Pink Ranger ran over to her to check on her.

Princess Viera needed a moment to regain her composure after her fall. Drillion's errant attack had destroyed the building beneath her feet. She was certain the only reason she wasn't injured was the Lion Fire Armour. She was tangled up in some kind of plants that she couldn't remember seeing before and started to try and tear herself loose. Someone else seemed to be tearing the plants off her, and she at first presumed it was Drillion, but when she found herself staring at a pink helmet, she realised it was one of the Rangers.

"Are you alright?" Sarah asked, before looking at the stranger. She was dressed very oddly, wearing what Sarah could describe as armour. She was wearing a helmet with cheek guards so large that she could barely see the woman's eyes and had to wonder how the woman could see her. She decided to concentrate on the important detail for now, finding out if this woman was harmed.

"I'll…I'll be fine." Viera told her. "You saved me? YOU saved me?"

It was a strange idea to Veira. She was the one attacking their world, she was the one to bring this destruction, and yet the Pink Ranger had gone out of her way to save her. Even if she could presume that the Pink Ranger didn't actually know about Viera's part in the attack, she was a stranger, someone that should mean nothing to the Pink Ranger, while Drillion was still attacking her city. Why did the Pink Ranger take the time or the effort to save her?

"Of course, I did, that's what good people do!" Sarah answered her. "They help others when they need it. Now, do you need help to get to safety?"

Viera could see that Sarah was weighing things up. The battle with the Rangers was still raging, and she was sure that Sarah wanted to help her friends, but first she wanted to be sure that Viera could make it to safety. Without a word, Viera got up, and instead ran right into the middle of the battle, positioning herself between the Rangers and Drillion.

"What are you doing?" Calvin yelled. "Get out of the way!"

"DRILLION!" She shouted out in her loudest, most authoritative tone, turning to her servant. "STOP THE BATTLE!"

"Not now Princess Viera!" He protested. Viera stood before him, pointing at him and glaring in warning. Drillion saw the Rangers before him, scattered, bruised, and vulnerable. He knew it would likely not be long before he could destroy them. "The Rangers are at my mercy!"

"Who…who is that?" Levi muttered as he tried to get back up but found himself struggling.

"You WILL obey me!" She declared. "STOP!"

"Is she…is she commanding him?" Hayley asked as she finally got shakily back to her feet with the aid of a wall.

"But Princess…" Drillion protested, but he could see by the expression in her face that she was not to be denied. He just sighed and nodded. "Fine, whatever you wish Your Highness."

With that, Princess Viera and Drillion teleported away from the battle. Sarah went to her friends, who were all now back on their feet, though grateful that the battle had ended.

"Who was that?" Hayley asked.

"The monster called her Princes Viera." Calvin pointed out. Sarah looked to the ground, not knowing how to feel.

"I…I saved her from falling and I didn't even know she was an enemy." She responded weakly. She felt so foolish in hindsight. Princess Viera was directing Drillion, not watching him. She was the one behind the attack. She had saved her thinking she was in danger, not knowing the danger was down to her in the first place. "I…"

"It's fine Sarah." Brody told her. "We all make mistakes."

"Yeah, you didn't know who she was." Levi reminded her.

"Come on, we should be getting back to school." Brody told them. "Lunch break is almost over."

As they de-morphed and started to head back, Preston could see that Sarah was hanging back, and from the look on her face, he could see she was still feeling duped, now that she knew Princess Viera's true identity and came over, putting his arm around her.

"You shouldn't feel bad." He assured her. "You saw someone in trouble and you helped them. That's kind of what we're here for."

"But she…"

"You didn't know what she was." Preston reminded her. "And even if you did, I'm not convinced you wouldn't have done exactly the same thing. You don't have a callous bone in your body. There's no way you'd let someone do a swan-dive straight into concrete and smash their skull open."

"Thanks Preston." She answered with a smile as she put her arm around his waist and smiled, walking with them. "I think I really needed to hear that."


	4. Executive Privileges

Princess Viera and Drillion teleported back into the studio, to a lot of disapproving boos and hisses. The audience were paying a lot for this week's battle, significantly more than they normally would, and so they didn't take kindly to the exalted and heavily hyped Lord Drillion and Princess Viera cutting and running before many of them could even start to really feel the excitement building. Cosmo ran onto the stage, dodging some drinks thrown at him. It wasn't the first-time impromptu missiles from the crowd were a sign of disapproval, but normally it was paper, or at worst, plastic cups. As suited the exclusive high-end audience of this battle, he had given them crystal to pour their expensive drinks into, which meant dodging those projectiles was a much more daunting prospect.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, please settle down, the battle has barely begun." Cosmo rushed out, trying to avoid a riot that could easily turn into a full-on battle in the middle of his own ship! Most of the clients had brought small armies with them, and that didn't bode well for his own crew, or his ship! "Let's hear from our guest…"

"You WILL be silent!" Princess Viera screeched out, trying to sound as authoritative as possible. Her please seemed to be falling on deaf ears though. With the exception of one audience member in the front row, who seemed to draw her attention despite his lack of any apparent interest in the chaos going on around him, the audience were baying for the blood they had been promised. One of the audience threw a glass that was headed straight for her face, which she had to duck. Drillion was stepping forward, looking to plough into the audience after the interloper, but seeing the inevitable carnage from that, Cosmo quickly intervened, getting between them and the audience.

"Now, let's hear from our guest. Princess Viera, your battle with the Rangers was going well. Tell us, why…?"

"Precisely, the battle was going well! They were children who had no idea what they were up against! If we had stayed, we'd have been scraping what was left of them from Lord Drillion's feet by now!" She said with as much confidence as she could. It was true, Drillion did have the Rangers reeling, battered and on the verge of defeat, so pulling out made little strategic sense. Everything she knew told her the most sensible thing to do was crush the enemy the first time an opportunity presented itself. Of course, that was the sticking point. Why were they even enemies?

The fall hadn't harmed her in any way, it was more of a shock or fright she got than anything else, so she still remembered the reason she took on the fight with the Rangers, namely the fact that they presented a challenge that would prove her strength to the Lion Galaxy. However, although her armour would likely have saved her from the fall, one of their number had gone out of their way to save her. The Pink Ranger had even delayed returning to her friends, who could clearly use her help, in order to ensure a perfect stranger was unharmed and needed no further assistance. It was astounding to her that anyone would do this.

She could see the eyes of the audience on her, from the judgemental gaze of the silent stranger in the front row, to the ones who were still calling for her to get back into the battle. She took a breath and steadied herself.

"That would provide no sport, no spectacle. By allowing the Rangers to regroup, we will face them at their best instead of when they have been surprised by a superior opponent." Princess Viera said, justifying her behaviour. "I will study my foes more and will return to the battle when I can ensure there will be no excuses for their defeat!"

"There you have it folks! The Princess just wants to make sure you're all getting your money's worth!" Cosmo said, hoping this positive spin would avoid a riot. "I am certain…"

"This is a waste of my time!" A voice rang out from the crowd. They all stared at the front row. Standing up from his seat was the silent audience member. He had long, flowing hair, and pale skin with dark veins running across it. He pulled his cloak around himself. "I'm going to the executive lounge. Call me when someone's going to fight."

With that, he strode out of the room, everyone silent as he passed. As he left and the door closed, before they returned to their protests.

"My honoured guests, please, stay and enjoy my hospitality! The suites and the lounge will all be available to you of course!" Cosmo stated. "Keep watching this space for the latest on this thrilling and…"

He didn't get to finish as his audience filed out of the studio. He stormed off the stage to where Wrench was standing, holding a large brandy in the hopes of calming him. Steam was quite literally starting to billow out from under Cosmo's hat he was so clearly livid as he watched Princess Viera leave.

"Sir, I…"

"What the hell is she doing? She's screwing up my whole broadcast!" Cosmo screamed at him.

"You opened up the suites and the executive lounge…"

"And just about every one of those audience members brought a small ARMY of bodyguards with them! If they kicked off it'd cost me a hell of a lot more than the small fortune that spoiled brat's just cost me in hospitality!" He screamed at him. "I need this show Wrench! I need this show back on track, and I need it NOW!"

"But…Princess Viera has left!" Wrench protested. Cosmo noted that he was right, and as much as he wanted to railroad her back into the fight like he would with any of his other warriors, the last thing he needed was a flotilla of Lion Galaxy warships coming around as a result of any slight they might perceive from him daring to order her around.

"What about that man, the one who interrupted my show?" He asked. "NO ONE interrupts my shows!"

"I…I don't…"

"Find out who he is Wrench, and make sure he never crosses one of my shots again!" He told him, downing his brandy and stomping off. Wrench just looked dejected.

"I…guess a friendly warning could be in order?" Wrench offered weakly.

Down on Earth, the Rangers were licking their wounds. It wasn't as though taking a few lumps was a new experience to them by now, but Drillion had been on the verge of stomping them into the concrete, and they knew it.

"It's just as well the Power Stars heal us faster." Preston muttered. "I have a feeling we'd be in hospital right now if they didn't."

"I'm not so sure a quick trip there would be a bad idea if we could go." Hayley agreed, removing an ice-pack from her neck. "That Drillion was kicking our butts."

They heard a clatter from behind them and turned to see Mick standing over a bunch of medical supplies as he looked a little flustered.

"Um…oops, clumsy me." Mick stated. "I'll just…get that."

"Yeah, and he was going to until Princess Viera stopped him." Brody agreed. They heard another crash and saw that now a whole shelving unit of supplies was on the floor. Mick was white as a sheet, and while they knew he could shape-shift and so could change his appearance at will, this didn't look like it was voluntary.

"What's up Mick?" Levi asked. "You…you know something don't you?"

"It's…it's nothing really."

"No, we want to hear it." Brody chimed in. "If you know these people…"

"Mick, maybe it's time you told them." Redbot suggested. Brody looked to Redbot curiously. He and Mick had both been on the ship much longer than him. He knew they went back a lot further than he knew. He wasn't familiar with the names, so it had to be something from a lot further back.

"Mick, I know you don't like talking about your past, but these guys are clearly here with bad intentions." Brody told him. "Anything you can us about them might mean the difference between victory and…"

"And us ending up becoming multi-coloured street art." Calvin interrupted him. "Mick…"

"They're from the Lion Galaxy." Mick informed them. Sarah's head perked up hearing this.

"The Lion Galaxy?" She asked. "Isn't that…?"

"That's where I used to come from." Mick told them. "A while back, I saw an image on the Nexus Prism. I didn't know what it meant at the time, but I recognised the ship. It was the Royal Flagship."

"Royal Flagship?" Calvin asked. "They're in charge of the Lion Galaxy?"

"I don't know much about the power structure there now. I was sold as a slave over twenty years ago." Mick informed them as he tried to recall. "The last King sold myself and ninety-nine other people to Cosmo. Lord Drillion is or…was…his bodyguard."

"Was?" Calvin asked.

"The King of the Lion Galaxy was on Galaxy Warriors a little over a year ago. He took on Galvanax for the title." Brody answered. This was the only part of the story he really knew. He had been working on the ship when it happened.

"Since we know Galvanax still has the belt, I'm betting that didn't go so well." Sarah surmised.

"Let's just say Galvanax gave new meaning to the term 'disarmament'." Brody said, shuddering a little just thinking about the spectacle. Mick didn't react at all though. He just looked cold, a lot colder than any of the Rangers could ever remember seeing him. It was a side they never saw, one they didn't even know existed within the happy-go-lucky alien.

"He got EXACTLY what was coming to him!" Mick snapped. "He brutalised, crushed and oppressed my home for decades! He's the reason I haven't seen my parents in over 20 years…I don't even know if they're still alive! He was a blood-soaked tyrant that lived by violence and I for one say the universe is a MUCH better place without him!"

"Wow." Was all Calvin could muster. None of the others could say anything about Mick's outburst. Mick took a deep breath.

"Lord Drillion was his bodyguard, but only because he led a coup against him and failed." Mick told them. "Stories of his power and cruelty are legendary. If he's here…the Earth is in big trouble."

"What about this Princess Viera?" Preston asked. "She ordered him off, maybe…"

"She also ordered him to attack in the first place." Mick interrupted him.

"How well do you know her?" Brody asked him.

"I don't really, the King didn't have any heirs when I was sold." Mick answered with a shrug. "I guess since she's here, she's picked up right where her dad left off though. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

"I don't know, that's not what I saw." Sarah added. The others just looked to her. "I…I didn't know who she was. I saved her from falling."

"You saved her?" Mick asked. "You SAVED her?"

"Hey, if she hadn't then no one would have called off Drillion and you'd be scraping what's left of us off the asphalt!" Preston interjected, standing in Sarah's defence. The Pink Ranger knew it wasn't really in Preston's nature to be confrontational with his friends, but he stood up for her. Mick just stared at him.

"You have no idea what her family has done! The lives they've ruined, the entire species they've driven into extinction." Mick told him coldly.

"No, but I do know that you told her that her dad died a year ago. That means she hasn't exactly had long as leader. You said yourself you don't know her." Preston stated. "Just because her dad was a maniac doesn't mean she is."

Mick just shook his head and picked up a Ninja Sword, presenting it to Sarah.

"If you find her vulnerable like that again, take this, drive it through her heart, and don't stop until you come out the other side." Mick told her, shoving it into her hand. "Believe me, the universe will thank you for it!"

Just then, the bell rang.

"And on THAT pleasant note, that would be time for class." Levi stated, waving his hand in a round-up motion. "I guess as a teacher it's my duty to encourage you not to be tardy."

Sarah just put the Ninja Sword on the table, walking silently out the room, all the time looking at Mick. Was he right? Did she make a mistake in not taking care of the enemy when she had the chance? As they left, Mick just stood, leaning over a table and bracing himself on it.

"Mick…"

"Redbot, can you just leave me alone right now?" Mick asked him. Redbot just gestured away.

"I have some…fanfiction to…yeah." He stated, before leaving Mick alone.

Up on the Warrior Dome, the executive lounge was buzzing. Far busier than normal. Normally, only the most discerning patrons, that is to say those that spent the most, would have access, but thanks to Cosmo's need to open up the invitations to avoid bloodshed, it was now full.

It was a true exercise in excess. The entire floor was made of deep, black marble. The walls were covered in priceless works of art from all around the universe, and the whole place was littered with large, plump couches and easy chairs of red leather, inlaid with precious metals and jewels as decoration. There was a buffet, serving delicacies well beyond the reach of most of the universe, though here being given away like dry old chicken wings.

The cloaked stranger was standing by a fire-place, staring into it with a glass in his hand, watching the flames. Wrench had tracked him here and was plucking up the courage to approach him. He was running a scan of him, hoping to ascertain how much of a danger he was before approaching. He didn't notice as Madame Odious approached him.

"I see I'm not the only one interested in the stranger." She commented. Wrench almost jumped out of his shell. He started to stammer something out as she took his tablet from him and started to check his readouts. "Interesting, according to this, he's human…though I doubt that's all there is to him."

"Madame Odious, what are you…?"

"Oh, you didn't think you were the only one interested in this new arrival, did you?" She asked him. "The Champ asked me to check him out. I just thought it might be more expedient for both of us to share information."

"He's human…that's all I know." Wrench stated. Madame Odious sighed.

"Fine then, I suppose we're going to have to do this the hard way." She responded, snapping her fingers and pointing to him. Two monsters entered and approached the stranger, to hulking brutes from her own stable of athletes. They were a team that took part in battles known as Apocalypse. They were massive creatures, hugely muscled with dark green skin. They had bony protrusions sprouting from their scalps in a kind of bony mohawk style. They wore tight, black leggings and huge, spiked shoulder armour. They approached the stranger who didn't seem to register them at all until they were right behind him. One of them tapped him on the shoulder. The stranger didn't even turn around.

"I want to be alone." The stranger told them.

"We haven't seen you around here before." One of them said gruffly. "What's your name?"

"Names are for friends and subjects." He answered. "Since I don't know or care who you are, and since you're not on your knees, you don't need one."

"The season ticket you used to get in here says your name is L-Ring." One of them said.

"Then I guess you have your answer then." The stranger rebuffed them, taking a sip.

"Funny thing is, L-Ring is listed as a Frukkah." The other answered. "Since you don't have eight legs and a purple carapace, I'm going out on a limb and saying that season ticket isn't yours."

"He gave it to me." The stranger stated. One of them grabbed him and spun the stranger around. He stared up to the two hulking creatures before him. "The last time someone touched me like that, I took her arm."

"I'd like to see you try imposter!" The other stated, reaching out to shove the stranger. He grabbed the creature's arm and in a succession of blows so fast it could barely be seen, dislocated the creature's elbow and shoulder, before hitting him with a jumping spin-kick to the face, sending him crashing back through some unfortunate patrons. His partner came over to his side, helping him back as he got up, his arm hanging limply by his side. He snapped it back into place, but he let out a gasp as a long, curved sword was rammed straight through his heart.

The stranger pulled the weapon out, and the creature fell to the floor, exploding as it hit the ground. The stranger rounded on the other, whose nostrils were flaring and whose face was twisted and enraged. He let out a huge, bellowing roar and rushed for the stranger, swinging an arm at face-height. His arm was soon sent spinning from his body with a single strike from his sword, while another sliced off his legs.

The mysterious warrior strode over to his fallen body and rammed the sword down through his heard, at which the creature exploded. He looked around at all the stunned, silent patrons. Wrench and Madame Odious were completely stunned. Their scans showed this man to be human, but it was clear there was a power within him that they did not understand.

"Does anyone else have anything they'd like to ask?" He asked, flicking the blood from his blade and sheathing it beneath his cloak with a simple flick of his wrist. Having no takers, he just shrugged. "I thought not."

With that, he walked over to the buffet, took a plate, and started casually helping himself.


	5. Know Your Enemy

Levi was in his classroom, going over some course work for his kids. It was hard work, but it was surprisingly rewarding and, dare he admit it, quite fun. He had gotten some teaching credentials a while back for the dual purpose of having something to fall back on if his music career didn't pan out, and also as something of a retirement plan for when he started looking at winding down. While examples did exist of people having careers their whole lives, Kenny Rogers, Johnny Cash and the likes, there were many more examples of people who were successful for a couple of years and then disappeared completely off the radar. The fact was that while some artists were universally popular, the tastes and trends of the market tended to change over time and sometimes fans would just move on and stop buying the records. He was also realistic that the day would come when the idea of waking up in a new city every second day, sleeping on tour coaches, going to other countries and cities but being so busy he barely had a chance to see any of them would finally seem a lot less appealing.

He already had money put aside and invested to make sure that if and when he finally decided to auction off his tour coach and hang up his hat for the last time...well...OK, he'd worn the hat ever since the Westons had taken him in so he figured he was probably always going to wear the hat...all he'd have to worry about was finding something to do with his days, and teaching kids and preparing the next generation of musicians sounded like a pretty good way to balance his love and his need for something to do.

He started laughing as he read one student's essay. He had asked his students to pick a song that meant something to them on an important lesson and do a detailed analysis of the song, the story behind it, and how the music conveyed the message. He just started writing on it.

"Well...that's certainly ONE interpretation of 'Like a Virgin'." He chuckled as he wrote some notes in the margin of one student's essay. He heard a knock on the door. "Come in."

He put down his pen and turned towards the door as it opened. Mrs Finch came in, smiling as she arrived.

"You're working late?" She asked him. "Everyone else has gone home for the weekend."

"Yeah, I had some things to clear up here." Levi told her. "Most of the kids are heading to the park for that business studies project you set them, so I wanted the weekend clear to check out how they were doing."

"You heard about Sarah's Cookie Creator didn't you?" She asked him. Levi just nodded.

"Is it that obvious?" He asked her as she sat with him. She pulled up a chair and sat with him. "What can I say? Who doesn't love cookies? I reckon if anyone's going to finally win that trophy of yours, it'll be Sarah."

"Yeah, she's definitely got a lot of eyes on her with that one. The line at the canteen was huge!" She admitted. "Honestly, I have no idea how she could fail."

"Well, I'm just glad you're talking to me again." Levi told her.

"Yeah...about that. I'm really sorry about that." Mrs Finch told him awkwardly. They had struck up a friendship pretty quickly when Levi signed onto the staff, and they had been having lunch and sometimes dinner together pretty much since he arrived. Levi, given his celebrity status, was a little worn out by students and teachers staring at him and trying to get close to him just so they could say they had, but one of the first times he spoke to Mrs Finch, she had dropped something of a bombshell. She had no idea who he was. Well, she had heard from the kids and the other teachers that he was a singer, but she had never really followed his work and so she genuinely had no real interest in his status as a celebrity. It was refreshing to him to hang around someone who hadn't already made up their mind what kind of person he was. "I guess I was a little disappointed to think you had..."

"Slept my way into a job?" Levi asked her. "Believe me, I thought that's what she wanted too, but when she turned around and just wanted to sing a duet with me that was a relief!"

"I judged you based on some image of..." She started to say, before looking to him. "...OK, that would just be an excuse. I...really don't have any idea WHAT celebrities do. I've seen and heard some of the same rumours everyone else has, but I don't know the truth. I guess since my husband I've had kind of a dim view of men."

"I guess I can understand..."

"No, it really isn't alright." She assured him. "Errol was a rat, but if I judge everyone by his standards, I guess I'm always going to have a pretty dim view of people."

"Only half of them." Levi corrected her. She just smiled.

"I guess what I'm saying is, I should have believed you and given you the benefit of the doubt." She answered. "And if you're hungry, I have some paella."

"I guess I am pretty hungry, I could take a break." He answered as he got up and followed her. "So, what made you change your mind about me?"

"Oh, I just had some time to think about..."

"You watched the video didn't you?" He asked her. Mrs Finch fell silent, but Levi just laughed. "I don't blame you. So how did it look?"

"Every bit as horrifying as I thought it would." She admitted with a laugh as they headed for the staff room.

The next day, up on the Warrior Dome, Princess Viera was in her chambers, stripping off her armour. She had already found some clothing to use as a disguise for when she went down to the planet to survey the Rangers once more. She often valued the intelligence she could glean from study, and use it to ascertain the best strategy. However, this time she wasn't sure what more exactly she could learn from the Rangers.

From what she had seen, they didn't have much of a grasp of tactics. They had all arrived at once and from one direction, eliminating the possibility of a flanking attack. They had brought attention to their position when they arrived, eliminating any possibility of a surprise attack, and from the short battle she had seen, she didn't even think they had the raw strength needed to be a danger to Drillion.

Frontal assaults, while not the ideal form of attack due to the high risk of casualties, were sometimes the best option, but generally only when one had the strength to do it. Forcing a smaller, weaker force into a pitched battle was a way to all but guarantee victory. Looking at how ineffective the Rangers' weapons had been against Drillion, and knowing the raw strength he had, it looked like the best chance the Rangers would have against him was guerrilla tactics. Yet, they hadn't gone for that route.

She was also a little surprised that when she had fallen from the balcony, that the Pink Ranger had gone out of her way to save her. Casualties were a part of war, even civilian casualties. The most efficient approach was to stick to the plan of attack and accept that there would be collateral damage, but the Pink Ranger had broken off from the attack, even when it was clear her friends needed her help. All for a stranger, someone she had no obligation or any duty to.

"Princess Viera, the sun has risen in Summer Cove." Drillion announced as he entered her chambers. "We should return to the Earth and finish what we started!"

"I have my own strategy Lord Drillion." She reminded him. "And I do not recall giving you permission to enter my chambers!"

"Princess Viera, these children..."

"You will do as I command Lord Drillion!" She snapped at him. "As long as I am ruler of the Lion Galaxy you will do as I say! Now go! I will call for you if I need you!"

He turned on his heel and left the room, though as he got outside, he slammed his weapon into the wall just outside. He heard a laugh from a little way down the hall. He looked up to see Galvanax standing there.

"Do you have something to say?" Drillion yelled at him.

"I just think it's amazing to think that this is the same Lord Drillion I've heard so much about." Galvanax teased him. "The destroyer of worlds, the scourge of armies, the...vandal of random furniture."

"If you want..."

"I also find it interesting you direct your anger at me when you know where it should really be directed." Galvanax interrupted him. "The child is weak, you know it, I know it, everyone knows it."

Seeing Drillion standing, unable to answer him, Galvanax stepped closer.

"She said it herself. As long as she is ruler of the Lion Galaxy you follow her orders." Galvanax continued. "There is a way to rectify that. Then you'll get the respect you deserve."

"Or I could just take it from your..."

"Why would I fight a mere pet? There are many much more deserving opponents on our roster." Galvanax laughed. "Now, the Ruler of the Lion Galaxy...that may be a different matter."

Down on Earth, the park was incredibly busy. It was a nice day which really helped, but with it being the weekend and with many of the kids out working hard to try and make their businesses viable, many of them had descended on the park.

Hayley and Calvin had set up a pet grooming service, charging small amounts to wash and perform minor cosmetic work on people's pets. It was a simple plan, one that they had chosen because it required only minimal outlay on some cleaning supplies, and the fact that Hayley could talk to the animals and see how they felt about what they were doing, to get an idea what would make them happy, definitely helped matters. The little tub they were taking their fees in was already looking relatively healthy.

Brody was in the parking lot with his partner, another student named Benny, washing cars. Much like Hayley, they had gone for the Keep It Simple Stupid or "KISS" approach to business. They only really needed sponges, squeegees, buckets and soap and water. However, it was only as they started they realised one big miscalculation they had made. They were planning to charge $10 a car, but there was a nearby garage that charged that and would do the job much faster. It was with a little reluctance they had to drop their price until people would accept the work. They also realised that since they never specified what constituted "a car", they were getting people bringing everything from their family sedan to one customer who brought his motor home and because of the advertised rate still only expected to pay $5 for it!

So far, much like the teachers had predicted, it looked like Sarah and Preston were already the obvious winners. The moment anyone even mentioned cookies, there was interest. As soon as the promise of healthy cookies that they could make from any food they wanted was mentioned, the queue ended up stretching most of the way through the park.

"That'll be three dollars." Sarah told the latest customer, handing over a box of fresh cookies, mopping her brow. "Wow, that line is long and getting longer!"

"Ib bure iv." Preston mumbled. Sarah turned to see him with a mouthful of cookie and glared at him.

"Preston! Stop eating all the profits!" She reprimanded him. Preston pulled his cutest face, which she found it hard to resist. "Preston, we're trying to turn a profit here."

"Like that'll be a problem." He responded, gulping down his last mouthful. "We've already filled two Tupperwares and pretty soon we'll have filled the third!"

"We'll also pretty soon have run out of the base ingredients." Sarah reminded him. Although they cookies could and would be made largely from what the customers brought with them, the base ingredients, flour, sugar and suchlike, Sarah and Preston still had to provide themselves. They had brought a couple of large bags of each with them, but even they had underestimated the demand.

"Well, you know there is a way I can rectify that." Preston said, holding up a finger. Sarah just grabbed his hand.

"Yeah...I'm pretty sure that well and truly breaks the rules on 'personal gain'." Sarah told him. "Knowing my luck, you'd turn me into a sack of sugar."

"No, it'd be flour." Preston answered. "There's no way I could make you any sweeter."

"Aw, Preston...the cookies are made from flour, not corn." She responded with a giggle. They turned back to see that the line was starting to become restless. "Ahem...sorry about that. Um...what can I help you with?"

Princess Viera teleported down into the park, once again disguised as an Earthling. She still couldn't fathom human fashions or the ridiculous nature of their clothing, but she did know that it was for the best that she fit in right now. She had a look around, trying to find any sign of the Rangers. She had never seen them unmorphed, and was relying on tracking their power to find them, but she still only really had a general idea that they were in the park somewhere.

She made her way out of the undergrowth where she had teleported to prevent her arrival being seen, but she tripped on a root and stumbled out towards the edge of a lake. She bumped right into a couple of people who were sitting near the edge of the water.

"I'm...I'm sorry, I tripped." She rushed out. She was not accustomed to apologising; her father had always said that it was a sign of weakness. He had seen ANY sign of wavering or restraint or regret as weakness. Even when he was in the wrong, such as when he had taken something from another person's plate to eat, he didn't see fit to apologise. If anything he expected THEM to graciously offer it as a gift. Viera was pretty quick with her apology, much quicker than she had intended. The friendly face that greeted her didn't seem to show any anger though.

"It's alright; the paths are kind of a nightmare here." Mick answered her. He had taken the time by himself to go and see Principal Hastings, who was still on leave recovering from her captivity. While she wasn't ready to go back to the school yet, she had asked specifically to go out. Spending several weeks locked in her own basement, she was quite eager to see some of the outside world when she had a chance, and could at least convince Mick that if she went with him then he could take her home if she didn't feel up to it any longer.

"You dropped your bread." Viera stated, seeing bread on the ground, scattered all around them. "I...I insist on replacing it."

"That shouldn't be a problem." Principal Hastings assured her, picking up some of the bread and tearing it off, throwing it into the lake. "Not where it's going."

Viera watched this rather odd behaviour. It wasn't like she hadn't seen people feed animals before, there was a Royal Zoo for her amusement, there were stables for the working animals, and there were of course pets, but all of these things had a purpose. From what she could see, these people were just giving away perfectly good food to wild animals that had done nothing for them. She just nodded.

"Um...alright then." She told them.

"Hey!" Mick called after her. Viera stopped as she was walking away, and turned back. He just smiled. "Watch your step on the path. It's been a while since it's been cleared. We wouldn't want you to slip and fall in."

"Thank you." Viera replied, before heading along her way, pulling out a device to try and track the Rangers.

Back at the Cookie Creator, it seemed like Sarah's words had proved somewhat prophetic. They had managed to serve a few more customers, but eventually they had run out of flour and sugar. There was a look of disappointment as she turned the last bag upside down and only a few sad, lonely grains of sugar came out.

"I'm really sorry about this guys, it looks like we're going to have to shut down for a little while." Sarah told the rather disappointed customers. "Don't worry; we just need to run to the store, we should be back in about an hour!"

There were some grumbled and disappointed looks as they all started to file away.

"We do have a few cookies left!" Preston rushed out. "It looks like...cucumber and tuna!"

There were no takers, those cookies had been made a while ago, and were no longer fresh straight from the machine. Preston started to put them into a box as Sarah secured the cash and put up a closed sign. She looked up, seeing one person still standing around, inspecting the cart. She was holding a device in her hands.

"Oh, hi!" Sarah said, greeting her. "Um...I'm really sorry about this, but we're closed for a little while. We need to run out for more ingredients."

Viera didn't answer though. She had barely noticed the Rangers. She was far too focused on her scanner. It bleeped loudly, and she could see two strong signals directly in front of her. She figured out pretty quickly that the two people standing in front of her were Rangers. She was a little stunned to see that they appeared to be about her age. They were children! It now made a lot more sense why their strategic knowledge and ruthlessness in battle seemed to be lacking.

"Hey, cool, is that a new game?" Sarah asked. Viera put her scanner away quickly before the Pink Ranger could get too good a look at it. "I was a big Pokemon Go dork for a long time...until I ended up almost walking onto the freeway."

"Um...yes, something like that." She answered, looking to their machine. "You're selling food here?"

"Uh...yeah, we were, but we're out of ingredients at the moment." Preston answered.

"Oh...well...I don't have any money anyway." Princess Viera replied. Even on her own planet she wasn't used to carrying around money. Most people wouldn't dare to try and charge the Royal Family for things anyway. They would be expected to hand them over as gifts. She definitely didn't have any of the local currency though. "I was just...looking."

"Well, why just look?" Sarah asked, taking the box off Preston and opening it. "Here, take one, it's on the house!"

Princess Viera was a little surprised by this gesture. On her home planet she was used to it, but here the Rangers had no idea who she was, and if they did recognise her, she imagined they would not be having a conversation. They had no reason to offer her anything. Taking one of the cookies, she bit into it, and immediately her head started swimming. It was completely unlike anything she was used to back home. She looked to Sarah, who was looking at her curiously.

"Say, have we met before?" Sarah asked her. She couldn't quite place it, but something about this girl did seem familiar, something about her eyes, she could swear she had seen her recently. "You look kind of familiar."

Viera was struggling to find something to say. The girl addressing her, the voice was familiar, and she was wearing Pink...it was only then she realised that Sarah was the one who had saved her from the fall the previous day. She tried to think of something to say to alleviate the suspicion when suddenly someone ran between them, shoving them both aside. Sarah fell to her butt, where Preston was quickly beside her to help her up. It was only then she realised that she wasn't holding the box anymore.

"HEY!" Preston yelled after the kid, helping Sarah up. "He took the cookies!"

"I'll get him!" Viera called out as she ran after the kid, before stopping to think why she should even get involved. She was already hitting an impressive pace by the time Preston and Sarah were back on their feet and running after them in pursuit of the thief.


	6. An Act of Kindness

Cosmo was glad when a messenger told him that the order had been given to announce the battle with the Rangers was to begin again. Opening up the executive lounge and the suites to his audience was costing him a small fortune in complimentary hospitality, but given the fact he was charging through the nose for tickets to see the Ruler of the Lion Galaxy in action, it wasn't as though he could object.

He had also had some trouble with the guests. High-end clients of this calibre very often were some of the most despicable people in existence. The old adage of very few with money not having to trample on people to get it was pretty accurate here, and since it was compounded by the fact that they were an audience that enjoyed blood sports...it meant that many of his audience were not the most pleasant people. Arms dealers, warlords, tyrants, criminals, politicians...the list went on. He had already had one guest that had disrupted his show, and he had heard about the fight in the executive lounge, but he had been kept far too busy to follow up on it or do much about it.

He arrived on the stage as the last of the audience were filing in. The refreshments were being passed around to keep them appeased while they waited for the fight they had been promised the day before taking place. He could see that with the exception of the mysterious man in the front row, who still sat, tenting his fingers as he watched on in interest.

"Ladies and gentlemonsters! The wait is finally over!" He declared proudly, setting off some pyro behind him to get their attention. I have received word that Princess Viera has...HEY!"

He was almost shoved off his feet as Drillion made his way onto the stage. He couldn't help noticing that Viera was not with him. "What's the big idea?"

Drillion ripped the microphone from Cosmo's hand, and stood before the audience.

"For far too long my home has been ruled by a weak and hesitant little girl!" Drillion announced. "She had the opportunity to crush her enemies, to give you the battle you all paid so much for and yet where is she now? She is on Earth! Watching and doing nothing while you wait for her to decide if she should give you the contest she promised you!"

He strode up to the edge of the stage.

"I propose I give you a different show, one that I WILL deliver on!" Drillion told them. "I hereby officially challenge for the throne of the Lion Galaxy! By the days' end, I will have destroyed Princess Viera AND the Power Rangers!"

Cosmo was surprised; he thought the call for action had come from Viera. However, he was nothing if not adaptive. The show had to go on, and it really didn't matter to him if it was Viera or Drillion that provided the drama. In fact, the thought of throwing a tremendous prize, like the throne of the Lion Galaxy into the mix just made it seem all the more tantalising. He took the microphone from Drillion.

"You heard it here first ladies and gentlemonsters, Lord Drillion promises not just the Power Rangers, but also the overthrow of the Lion Galaxy!" He declared, heading to his control panel. "Let the battle BEGIN!"

With that, he slammed his hand down on the control console, sending Drillion to the surface.

Down on Earth, Viera was still chasing after the thief as he ran away. She didn't know why she was intervening in something that was none of her business in the first place. It wasn't like he had taken anything from her. That said, thieves in her dominion were always dealt with harshly. While paying the price of blood for things was pretty much accepted as a standard form of trade, those that stole by sneaking or through treachery or deceit were viewed as the lowest form of life and deserving of the worst form of punishment.

She took a quick look around and realised that the Rangers were still too far from her to see her, and transformed herself into a flowing cloak, which flew through the air. Her family was of the same species as Mick's people and so she had the power of shape-shifting, although she did rarely use it. She enveloped the thief, bringing him crashing to the ground, before changing back.

"What the hell?" He asked. "What happened?"

Viera didn't give him much of a chance to do or say anything else. Using the skills she had been taught throughout most of her life for when she would have to take over her father's place and lead armies, she grabbed the kid off the ground, twisting an arm up his back, and bringing another arm around under his chin across his throat. She clinched him tightly, shutting off his air. She hit him behind one of the knees, bringing him down and continued to hold him. By the time Sarah and Preston arrived, the kid's face was bright red, and twisted in pain.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Sarah asked. She didn't get a good look at the kid as he knocked her over, he was moving too fast, but looking at him now, struggling to breathe in Viera's tight grip, she could see he was a kid. Not just a kid like she was, but an actual kid. He looked like he might be about fourteen at the most.

"I caught him for you!" Viera told her in a sneer, her baser instincts beginning to get the better of her. She knew exactly how to deal with thieves. "He won't be stealing from you again!"

"He won't be doing much of ANYTHING again if you don't let him go, he can't breathe!" Preston protested. "He's just a kid! Let him go!"

"He stole from you, he's a thief!" Viera stated, looking to them. "How are we going to punish him?"

"Hey, just...let him go a minute alright?" Sarah asked. Viera was a little surprised at the request. That said, there was also a protocol for this back home. The 'justice system' as much as there was one was very much a rough and ready affair. It was up to the one who had been wronged to carry out the punishment. Since Sarah had been the one the child stole from, she was the one that was owed recompense. She loosened her grip on the child, but made sure to keep a hold of his arm so that he couldn't run. Sarah helped him up. "You must want those cookies pretty bad huh?"

The kid didn't say anything, which earned him a slap across the back of the head from Viera.

"Answer her!" She snapped.

"Hey!" Sarah protested. She looked to the kid. She could see that he was a small kid, trying to steal from adults was a pretty risky thing to do, especially for a box of cookies. If he had been watching them and seen his opportunity, he also had to be aware they had been selling the cookies. That meant there was money on the cart, which she imagined would be a much more appealing target. She was curious as to why exactly he'd take such a risk for something as trivial as a box of cookies. "So what's the story kid?"

"I'm not a kid!" He snapped.

"No, you're a THIEF!" Viera scoffed. Sarah ignored her remark, and instead offered him a hand.

"My name's Sarah." She said, shaking his hand.

"Billy." He answered her.

"Alright Billy, why did you want those cookies so badly?" Sarah asked him. Princess Viera rolled her eyes hearing this. What did it matter why he wanted them? They didn't belong to him!

"There has to be easier ways to get a snack." Preston added.

"You try saying that after a whole day without anything." He answered. "They're for my sister, we don't have any food."

"What about your parents?" Preston asked him.

"They're dead." Billy informed them sadly. "Dad died when I was young, my mom...she got caught up in one of those monster attacks. It's just been us for a while now."

Sarah and Preston looked to each other. They knew that there were casualties in their battles. Although they tried to limit things, and they were certain that there would be a whole lot more casualties if they didn't do everything that they could to keep monsters focused on them and not on innocent people, they couldn't be everywhere and save everyone.

"My sister's really sick, she's not been able to work, we don't have any food!" Billy rushed out. "I'm sorry I took the cookies, but I didn't have a choice!"

Preston looked to the box, which had burst open when it hit the ground. The cookies were now scattered all over the ground and covered in muck and grass. They were now no good to anyone but rats or birds. There was no way anyone could risk eating them. Preston handed them to Sarah, who made much the same assessment looking at what was left of them. Hearing Billy's story, she was inclined to just let him go with the cookies. They hadn't sold them and they were unlikely to sell them anyway since they were no longer fresh.

"Well, you can't eat these now." Sarah sighed. "Come on."

Viera dragged Billy with them as they returned to the Cookie Creator. The whole way there, Sarah could only think about what she had heard from Billy. It was troubling to her to think that anyone could fall through the cracks like that. She had thought a couple of kids without parents, even in Summer Cove would be given help from the city. As bad as things got for her at home, even in the really bad days with her dad, she never once had to worry about where she was going to live of getting something to eat. She threw the cookies into the trash bag behind the machine and tried to think of what she should do. She didn't know who to call. She didn't want to report Billy for theft; she didn't think getting him into trouble for something as simple as getting something to eat would be at all productive. It wasn't as though he had stolen money; it was only food he was looking for.

She looked to the Cookie Creator and sighed. Preston could see the look on her face and was starting to see where this was going. Removing the money containers from the cart, she took out a small amount of money, keeping the rest.

"Here, you can have this." She told him, gesturing to the Cookie Creator. She could see Preston looking at her with a mixture of being impressed, and also exasperation in watching her give away their business. Billy and Viera were just surprised.

"What?" He asked. Sarah handed Billy five dollars.

"You'll need flour and sugar, that should get you enough to get started." Sarah told him. "You can make and sell cookies so you can BUY food."

Billy didn't seem like a bad kid to her, but she imagined his age was a bit of a barrier. If his sister really was sick, and couldn't work, then it wasn't likely Billy could get a job to help out. There weren't many jobs for fourteen year old kids, certainly none that paid anything like enough to feed a household. She held out a hand.

"There's one condition though." She told him. "No more stealing. You swear?"

Billy hooked his pinkie with Sarah's and smiled. He didn't really want to steal, but there wasn't much option for him. The only jobs he could see for someone his age were things like paper routes and suchlike, certainly nothing that would feed both him and his sister. He knew stealing was wrong, but without any other option he had tried to only take what he needed. He couldn't believe that after stealing from her Sarah was willing to help him.

"I promise." He assured her. "Thank you so much."

Billy took the cart and started to wheel it away. Preston came to Sarah's side and put his arm around her.

"Well, there goes our business studies project." He sighed.

"I'm sorry." Sarah answered. She knew that she hadn't just given away her own project, since Preston was her partner she had given away his as well. He just shrugged.

"I guess we'll just have to hope this is enough to balance the books." Preston said, shaking the Tupperwares containing the money. "For what it's worth, I think it's a pretty incredible thing you did."

"I don't understand. Why would you reward a thief?" Viera asked as she watched Billy taking away the Cookie Creator. "He stole from you, he should be punished!"

"Sometimes people don't need punishment." Sarah told her. "Sometimes what people really need is a little bit of help."

"Yeah, I mean if Billy could have gotten a little food he wouldn't have needed to steal those cookies." Preston added. "People sometimes fall on hard times through no fault of their own. Just because someone needs a little help doesn't mean they're a bad person."

Viera just stood, stunned into silence by this. She had never encountered a mentality like this before. She had seen people in her dominion starving, those that would fight and claw for the most petty and meagre of possessions. One time she had been travelling with her father she had seen a man being beaten to death for his jacket. Her father had simply stepped over the corpse without a second look at the attacker.

"Are you alright?" Sarah asked her.

"That...that isn't how I was taught." She stated. "Where I come from might makes right. If someone wrongs you then you punish them, you hurt them."

"The problem with that is every mighty person is one bad day away from being a weak person." Preston told her. "My dad's the richest, most powerful guy in this city. I know a lot of his friends who were millionaires one day and lost everything the next. Some of them even ended up homeless."

"I was always taught that so show mercy was weakness, but I always thought it was wrong." She told them, looking to them. "You've shown me that kindness is a better way."

"I like to think so." Sarah said with a smile.

"I mean, that kid, you could have used your power as a Power Ranger to crush him..." Viera suddenly realised what she had said, but it was too late to take it back now. Looking to Sarah and Preston, she could see they had both heard it. Sarah started pointing at her.

"I...I knew I had seen you before, you're...you're Princess Viera aren't you?" Sarah called out as she and Preston prepared for an attack, looking around, half expecting Drillion to show up. Viera held up her hands.

"Please, I...I'm sorry about that attack! I thought I needed to prove my strength for my people to help me, but you've shown me there's a better way!" She pleaded with them. "I promise, I'll call off the attack! I'll leave and go back to my own galaxy!"

"Yeah, forgive me if I find that a little hard to believe!" Preston shot back.

"Oh, you can believe her alright." They heard a snarling voice saying. They both turned to look down a path to where Lord Drillion was arriving. Others in the park saw the monster and started to run, leaving their belongings in their wake. "She is WEAK! I've always known it!"

"Lord Drillion, you will stand down!" She announced.

"I'm not following your orders anymore!" He informed her. "You're my enemy every bit as much as the Rangers! The Lion Galaxy will bow at MY feet!"

"Wow, your approach really instils loyalty in your followers." Preston said sarcastically.

"Not the time Preston!" Sarah said as Drillion started to power up an attack. He fired it off, but before it hit home, Viera dived in front of them, taking the blast full-on.

"Princess Viera!" She shrieked, running to where she landed as Preston went on the attack. She could see that Viera was struggling to get up, but otherwise seemed largely unharmed. She could see part of her flesh had turned to metal, and it was slowly turning back.

"My people can shape-shift." She told Sarah. "I should be alright."

"You need to get out of here." Sarah said to her as the other Rangers started to arrive. She assumed that they had picked up Drillion's signal when he arrived. "We'll take care of this."

"No, you can't!" Viera told her. "Lord Drillion is one of the most powerful creatures in my galaxy."

"We've done this before..."

"Please, I brought him here, this is my fault, I want to help!" She told Sarah. "I...I have an idea, I know something that can help. Buy me some time, I'll be back I promise!"

With that, she teleported away, leaving the Pink Ranger alone. Sarah ran out to where the team were already finding the battle going badly. She rejoined her team.

"Glad you could join us." Brody grumbled. "It looks like he's not playing around."

"Princess Viera says she's gone to get help." Sarah told them. "We just need to buy her some time."

"Princess Viera? Like...the Princess Viera that brought this guy here in the first place?" Hayley asked.

"That would be the one." Preston answered. "Drillion's trying to overthrow her though."

"Wow, this is what happens when you're out of the loop for ten minutes?" Calvin asked. "If this is a civil thing, can't the take this back to their own back yard and sort it out between themselves?"

"Oh, he still wants to kick our asses." Preston assured him.

"Sarah, are you sure we can trust Viera?" Brody asked her. Sarah didn't know how to answer that. She wanted to believe her but she wasn't sure. She nodded her head.

"I think she's on the level." She told him.

"Then that's good enough for me." Brody replied. Sarah wished he hadn't said that, the team was placing a lot of faith in her faith in Viera. "It's morphin' time!"

"NINJA SPIN!" The team chorused together.


	7. Royal Promise

On the Warrior Dome, the audience, with the exception of one, were on their feet and screaming like a ravenous mob. Cosmo loved to see this. There were few things that would unite the classes in society, but even in a room filled with royalty, nobility, politicians, business leaders, the very movers and shakers of the universe, his blood sports quickly reduced everyone the level of frothing, baying wolves. He smiled to see them take such singular joy in his spectacle of carnage, and while it wasn't the show he had intended originally, he was still able to turn it around into one of the greatest shows that had ever been broadcast.

"Ooh, that looked like it HAD to hurt! I'm sure the Blue Ranger really got the POINT there!" He commented as Drillion tore into Preston with his drill weapon. "And look, the Red Ranger's flailing around like a child! I guess he needs to be DRILLED a little more!"

He heard a bleeping from his communicator and tapped his earpiece.

"What is it?" He whispered, being sure to cover his microphone.

"Cosmo, we've just had a perimeter breach! Someone's teleported onto the ship!"

"What?" He asked. "Who could have…?" He tailed off as he looked back to the screen, to where the Rangers were falling back, no doubt to re-assess how they dealt with Drillion. He noticed there was one person who was very noticeable by their absence. He didn't even need Wrench to confirm the detail.

"The signature…it's Princess Viera!" He told him. "She appeared on the ship!"

"Then find her!" Cosmo said as he tried to think of what to do. "The last thing we need is Drillion figuring out where she is and coming back. This is television, not participation theatre!"

"She's appeared in…"

"I don't care WHERE she is, you know where she's going!" Cosmo told him. "Take a security detail and go yourself so you can be sure they don't screw it up! Find her and throw her back into the fight! Drillion's distracted for now but it won't take long for him to realise she's gone!"

"I'm on it, right away!" Wrench said, snatching up his axe and leaving the production station, instructing his interns to keep things running in his absence. Cosmo turned his attention back to the screen, finding the Rangers surrounding Drillion.

"Oh, now this looks interesting!" He said, getting back on the mic. "Drillon's in the middle of it now, let's see how he handles this!"

Down on Earth, the Rangers had been getting pummelled and quite badly. Hayley's costume was still smoking from the last hit, and the team were struggling to come up with ideas. Brody flipped away from Drillion, landing in position, just where he intended. The Rangers were now spaced out, covering the four points. Hayley and Calvin were blocking the east entrance to the plaza, while Preston and Sarah had the west. He could see that Levi was just getting into position to the south, leaving him to cover the north.

"Alright guys, we have him surrounded!" Brody called out, pulling out his Element Star. "Let's pour it on!"

"Element Star Water Mode!" Sarah called out.

"Element Star, Wind Mode!" Preston added, his intent being to create a waterspout around Drillion that would channel the other energy, keeping him trapped while the others poured on more power. Levi seemed to have cottoned onto the plan.

"Rockstorm Blaster, Lightning Mode!" He added, preparing his strike.

"Power Morpher, Arrow Blast!" Hayley and Calvin echoed together, taking careful aim. Brody put his Element Star into his Sword, preparing to rush in with the final strike once the energy had taken its toll. Seeing all this, Drillion hit a switch on his weapon, dropping the drill-bit to the ground. He reached to his belt, pulling out another attachment and putting it in place. The Rangers all fired off their respective blasts while Brody charged up, ready for his attack. However, as the attacks all started to head his way, forming up, Drillion spun around in a circle, dashing all of them away.

"I SAW this coming!" He retorted as the Rangers could only watch their attacks being snuffed out like candles. He saw Brody coming straight for him and swung an upward strike with his saw blade. "SLICE to see you!"

Brody was only barely saved by the power of his attack. Instead of swinging for Drillion, seeing the weapon come his way, he got his sword in the way, but the weapon still managed to power through and hit him. He flipped backwards so fast that he couldn't keep track of where he was, and he landed on the ground face-down unmoving.

"BRODY!" Sarah screamed as she and Preston went to make a move.

"I'd be more worried about yourself!" He stated as his saw blade flew straight for them. "Eat THIS!"

Preston and Sarah struggled to block the attack, it took both of them to manage it, and even then, it forced them to their knees. By the time they were able to get back up, Drillion had replaced his drill bit and was setting about them. Sarah held her weapon in front of her face, the only thing that stopped her ending up with an impromptu lobotomy.

As she lay on the ground, trying to get her bearings, she went to adjust her Element Star to get a new setting, but she found that it was cracked and burned. Drillion's last shot had struck the Element Star full-on.

"My Element Star…it's broken!" She screamed. Preston was blasted into a wall and fell to the ground, where his Element Star shattered into pieces on the ground. He looked to it in disbelief.

"Mine…mine too!" He complained. They watched as Brody got back to his feet, and noticed something. His sword was less than half the length it should be. Drillion had snapped it with his attack. The visor of his helmet was also broken, exposing one of his eyes, and there was a huge gouge running from the chin to the brow. It looked like Drillion's strike had only barely been deflected from cutting Brody in half too.

"My sword!" Calvin screamed as they watched Drillion attack him and Hayley. He had now switched to a clamp attachment, and gripped their swords in it, bending them until they snapped. He smashed them both to the ground before turning his attention to Levi.

"That's a nice guitar." He commented. "Let's try trimming it down to size!"

"I don't know about you guys, but I really hope Princess Viera is on the level!" Hayley called out as Levi tried to fend him off. "I don't know how much longer we can keep this up!"

Up on the Warrior Dome, Princess Viera was making her way back to her quarters to retrieve her Lion Fire Armour. It was far more than just an heirloom, it was a powerful weapon and lent its wearer incredible power. She knew that between that and her ship, she would be able to summon up enough power to help the Rangers, or at very least she hoped she would.

She arrived at the door to her chambers and found some Basher Bots and Wrench waiting. She could only surmise that the fact they were waiting for her meant that Cosmo had foreseen this turn of events and her welcome on the ship had worn out. She started to make her way towards them, summoning up all the confidence she could.

"What is the meaning of this?" She demanded. "Let me in at once!"

"Sorry Your Highness, Cosmo has promised his audience a fight, and that's what you're going to give them!" Wrench stated. "Our orders are to send you back!"

"I'll go back, once I have my armour!" She told him.

"Sorry, his orders were immediately." Wrench told her, gesturing forward two of the Basher Bots. Viera had been taught the ways of war from a young age, and had been trained in unarmed and melee combat since she could walk. As the first Basher Bot approached her, she caught its swing and shoved hits arm so that its sword would block the attack of the second. She kicked that one into the wall, before disarming the first, taking its sword and smashing it to pieces, before doing the same to the other as it staggered back. She looked to Wrench and the other Basher Bots.

"Out of my way NOW or you will feel the full wrath of the Lion Galaxy…"

"I've seen your opinion polls. I think you overestimate the support you'll get." Wrench stated as the others rushed towards her. Viera fended them off as best she could, striking them down where she could. Soon the floor was littered with broken parts, but she was quickly overwhelmed by their numbers. A couple of them grabbed her, forcing her to drop the sword, before forcing her down to her knees with her hands twisted up behind her back. They forced her down until her forehead was almost on the floor.

"The mighty Princess Viera bowing down to me." Wrench giggled.

"You will regret this you useless bucket of…"

"Quick hint, you should only threaten people if you're in a position to do something about it." Wrench taunted her.

"I agree." He heard a voice say. He looked up to see the stranger Cosmo had asked him to investigate standing behind the Basherbots. He grabbed the ones holding Viera by the base of the skull, before ripping out their CPU units, dropping them to the floor. The two Basherbots fell to the ground unmoving. Wrench could only watch as the stranger destroyed the rest of the Basherbots in quick succession before turning his attention to him. Wrench pulled his axe in front of him as he started to back up.

"What…what are you doing here?" He asked.

"I was disappointed in your battle." The stranger told them honestly. "I decided to seek amusement elsewhere!" He turned to Viera.

"You!" He told her. "Go in there and get what you came for!"

Viera had no idea who this man was or why he was helping her, but she knew not to question the opportunity and did as she was told. She ran inside, and placing her hand on her armour, it started to glow, before appearing on her body. With it, she now had the full access to her ship. She ran outside, only to find the stranger and Wrench were now gone. Deciding it was a mystery that she could figure out another time if she survived, she started running towards the hangar.

In Summer Cove Hospital, Al was doing another round of physio with his nurse, and as usual finding it pretty tough going. He never claimed to be a gym body when he was at full health, but the blast he'd taken had left him with a lot of spinal and nerve damage, and even getting back to doing some of the simple things like walking and getting in and out of chairs was taking some time. Today, he was working on his grip. He was squeezing on some device that the nurses insisted he use to measure his strength. He could see the look on her face as he struggled to get the marker to move.

"Would it help if I told you I didn't have a strong grip to start with?" He panted as he released the hand grip. She just looked to him.

"Mr Thompson you're doing really well." She assured him.

"Come on, it barely moved." He protested. "Even I know that's a bad thing, and my medical knowledge extends to band-aids."

"Believe me, you're doing just fine. Given the trauma you suffered the fact you're even able to walk from your ward to here by yourself is a huge accomplishment."

"It really doesn't feel huge." He muttered. The nurse just smiled.

"I don't believe in false praise. If you weren't trying I'd totally be kicking your butt right now." She told him. "I'll schedule you in for an appointment the same time again tomorrow…aw shoot, tomorrow's Sunday."

"Why's that a problem?" Al asked her.

"The parking lot at the church is always full so I'll have to use the one in the hospital and they always charge a fortune." She informed him. "I'll make your appointment after lunch…"

"The hospital charges you for parking?" Al asked her.

"Oh yeah, they also charge us for spare uniforms, some of our equipment, the staff canteen…as if I can afford all that on my salary, especially with my student loans."

"They charge you for all that?" Al asked her. "Please tell me you're at least deducting those."

"Deducting?" She asked him.

"For tax!" He told her. "Uniforms, equipment, parking, even some meals, those are all legitimate business expenses."

"What does that mean?" She asked him.

"It means you can claim back the tax on them. It's not going to make you a millionaire but if it's as bad as you say I'm sure it'll get you some extra funds." Al told her. "Any financial adviser could tell you that."

"Yeah, like I have the time or the funds to see a financial adviser." She grumbled. "Any financial adviser would charge me way more than I'm likely to save."

"Well…I could take a look for you." Al answered. "I mean, it's not like I have much else to do between sessions, and most of the forms I would need are available online nowadays."

"You would do that?" She asked him. He just shrugged.

"Like I said, I don't have much else to do." He told her. "Make sure my pudding cup is strawberry tonight, and I should be able to get started as soon as I get back to the ward."

"I think I can manage that." She answered with a smile. "Now come on, just a couple more tests and we'll get you right back to the ward."

Back on the Warrior Dome, Princess Viera had gone to the hangar, and made quick work of the Basherbots guarding her ship. With her Lion Fire Armour, her power was greatly increased and they offered little resistance. Getting into the cockpit, she powered up the ship and blasted the engines, tearing away from the Warrior Dome. She got onto her communicator.

"This is Princess Viera, calling for the Power Rangers, are you receiving me?" She asked, hoping she wasn't already too late. She started to vary between frequencies hoping she just needed to find the right one. "This is Princess Viera for the Power Rangers, are you receiving me?"

"Princess Viera?" She heard a slightly garbled response. "This is Sarah!"

"Thank goodness, I'm not too late." She said in relief. "How are things going?"

"Um…on a scale of great to not good, I'd say…pretty abysmal!" Sarah stated as she avoided a blast.

"I've got what I came for, I'll be coming down soon." Viera told her. "Just hold off a little longer!"

"That may be a little easier said than done." Sarah replied. She could only watch as Levi and Brody took a hard hit, which took the last of their power, de-morphing them and leaving them laying on the ground. Hayley, Preston and Calvin bravely got in the way as Drillion came to finish them off, but his charge hit them instead also de-morphing them.

Sarah screamed in rage as she ran straight for Drillion, but before she got there, she was blasted back, hitting the ground hard. She could see her uniform disappearing, leaving her unprotected.

A beam of light came down, striking Drillion, and causing him to start growing. The Rangers could only look up as he grew to massive size.

"Guys…I think this might really be it this time!" Hayley stated. "I don't know if we have enough energy left to morph, never mind summon the Zords."

"This can't be it! This CAN'T be how it ends!" Brody called out, trying to get back to his feet. Come on guys, we have to keep fighting!"

"With what? Colourful language and rocks?" Calvin asked.

"If that's what it takes then yes!" Brody answered. Just then, the sky darkened and the team all started to slowly regain their feet.

"Oh great, what now?" Preston asked. "As if we don't have enough to deal with…"

"Guys…I think the cavalry might just have arrived!" Sarah said, pointing upwards. "LOOK!"

They all saw a ship descending towards the ground, one that looked a lot like a lion that was ready to pounce. It opened fire as it came down, hitting Drillion square on and sending him crashing into some buildings.

"You'll NEVER rule the Lion Galaxy!" Viera screamed as she landed the ship, pouring more firepower into Drillion. The Rangers all stared to feel elated, seeing him taking hit after hit.

"She kept her promise!" Sarah screamed.

"This is EPIC!" Brody agreed. Hayley started to grab at her chest though.

"Uh..guys…am I the only one finding the air starting to get a little…" She tried to say something but couldn't quite think of what she was saying.

"It's getting a little tough to breathe." Calvin agreed.

"The ship! Princess Viera's ship must be drawing power from the atmosphere!" Sarah surmised.

"Great, now all we can hope is she finishes him off before none of us can breathe!" Levi coughed as he steadied himself on a tree.

"Or trashes any more of the city!" Brody added, seeing Drillion getting blasted into another skyscraper. They were now outside of the park and heading into Summer Cove. Fortunately, before too much more damage could be done, they saw Drillion start to glow and disappear. It looked like Cosmo had called an end to the battle and teleported him out. Princess Viera powered up her ship and blasted off, once more leaving the Earth's surface. The Rangers all took a very literal breath of relief.

"That…that was pretty incredible!" Sarah stated.

"Yeah, but it was also way too close." Levi told her. "I just really hope if they continue this little civil war they've got going on, they take it as far from here as possible!"

"Amen to that!" Preston agreed. "Now let's go get what's left of our weapons to Mick. We've got a LOT of work to do before Cosmo sends any more of his goons."


	8. Lions Fall

Galvanax and Madame Odious shoved their way into the cockpit of the Warrior Dome ship as the broadcast continued. The audience were eating it up, with all the drama and betrayal, the baiting and switching of momentum. It gave them all they could hope for in a show, but to Galvanax, he couldn't care less. All he saw was that Drillion had been forced to be pulled from the fight, meaning that he had lost his opportunity at the Power Stars, and Princess Viera had betrayed him. Without her involvement, Drillion was moments from delivering him his ultimate victory.

He arrived just as Princess Viera was blasting off, heading for space. He imagined she knew she would likely face consequences for her actions. She had faced a battle for her throne that was broadcast across the whole universe. She was likely heading back before her dominion descended into utter chaos. Galvanax didn't care about that though. All he cared about was repaying her in kind for her betrayal.

"That back-stabbing princess thinks she can get away? Fire the laser cannon!" He screamed. The Kudabots at the controls didn't respond though, they just stared at him. While he was the champion and certain privileges did come with that, the one thing it didn't do was give him authority over the ship. The Warrior Dome still belonged to Cosmo. It was not his personal weapon. Galvanax saw his opportunity for reprisal slipping and grabbed one of the Kudabots, throwing him across the room where it shattered against the wall, spraying parts in all directions. Cosmo came into the room as Galvanax took the controls and opened fire.

"Champ, Champ, you can't…"

"Get your hands off me you over-stuffed puppet!" He screamed at Cosmo, shoving him onto his back at the other side of the room. He turned his attention back to the controls and taking aim started to open fire.

On her ship, Princess Viera was taking off, hoping to flee the Earth before anything could befall her. The Warrior Dome was a much larger ship, and she didn't want to get involved in a long battle when she was sure she would have plenty to face back home. The ship rocked as a blast sheared along the hull, knocking the ship off course. She set the rear shields to maximum output and turned up the boosters, hoping to shake them. While the Warrior Dome was a much larger ship, that also stood against it. It wasn't really built for fast manoeuvres. When it was built its primary function was as a studio, and so if she could just get out of range before the full arsenal locked on, it was possible for her to escape. She took a few more hard hits, and warnings started to blare.

"Come on, just a little longer!" She muttered as she fought with the controls. "Just hold together a little longer!"

Back on the ship, Galvanax poured on the firepower, aiming to completely obliterate the ship as a warning to anyone that tried to get the better of him. Cosmo got back to his feet, and realising he couldn't reason with Galvanax, he gestured to one of the other Kudabots to vacate its seat and joined him bringing more of the cannon to bear.

"This readout says the Princess' shields are already at thirty percent." Madame Odious cackled. "One more salvo should bring them down."

"It's easy when you know how." Cosmo said with a wicked grin as he pinpointed her thrusters, opening fire. Most of his salvo was stopped by the shields, but the last couple burst through, slamming straight into her thrusters. Massive plumes of smoke started to pour out of her ship as it noticeably slowed. "We've got her! We can bring her down!"

Glavanax hit the ship a few more times, at which it started to veer violently towards the Earth, losing its battle with gravity. He wasn't going to be satisfied with a mere crash though, he wanted to see the ship go up in flames. He started to target the ship, but at that point the door flew open and a man stepped in. It was the same stranger that had been causing them problems up until now. He stepped in, tossing Wrench's head into Cosmo's hands.

"I…I…I'm sorry sir!" Wrench protested. "I tried to stop him!"

"I believe this is yours!" The stranger replied, before pulling out his sword. A burst of energy came from it, destroying the controls. Cosmo was blasted all the way across the room, while Galvanax hit the floor and rolled back to his feet. He glared at the stranger in fury.

"YOU DARE…?"

"Oh, I dare." The stranger stated. Odious hit an alarm, at which the room was flooded with Kudabots, who surrounded him. The stranger twirled his sword, and started to look around, like he was looking for an exit.

"You're going nowhere." Madame Odious told him. "You wanted our attention, now you've got it! Destroy him!"

"You have no idea who you're dealing with." The stranger called out, reaching behind his cloak. He pulled out a small item that looked like a belt buckle, with some kind of coin imbedded in it. He thrust it out in front of him. "BLACK DRAGON!"

A massive explosion ripped out from him, and in the close confines of the Bridge, it engulfed almost the whole room. All of the Kudabots were utterly destroyed, while Cosmo, Odious, and what was left of Wrench were thrown to the floor, charred and dazed. Even Galvanax was forced to a knee in the face of the explosion. As the smoke cleared, he looked up to see the man standing before him had been replaced by a man, dressed in a form-fitting white body suit, with a chest guard of some description, inlaid in green and gold. His helmet was white, and had some golden crests coming from it. He adjusted his sword to a back-handed grip, exposing a part of the pummel, which was uneven as though a piece of it had been broken or ripped off. Galvanax stared at him.

"Another one?" He asked. "There's ANOTHER Ranger?"

"I'm about as far from one of those Rangers as you can get!" The man replied, before rushing to the attack.

Back on her ship, Viera could see the warnings blaring, and knew the ship was going down. The Warrior Dome's much heavier arsenal had torn through her defences like tin foil. The Warrior Dome stopped firing as soon as she started to fall towards the Earth, and she could only assume that they had taken it for granted her ship was done for. Even with its engines almost completely destroyed, the ship itself was a fortress, and would withstand a fall of this magnitude. Whether or not she would…that was more down to her reflexes.

"You can't destroy the Lion Ship!" She yelled as she struggled to control the ship as best she could, steering it towards what appeared to be an uninhabited mountain range. As the proximity alarms started to sound, she quickly used her shape-shifting abilities to transform into a metal material she hoped would survive the crash. The ship hit home, burying itself deep into the mountains, far from prying eyes. Princess Viera was thrown and bounced around the cockpit, before it finally came to rest. She transformed back into her own form and stared to look around the wreckage.

"Computer, damage report." She demanded.

"Damage report…malfunction…Dam…age…rep…" With that, it sparked and exploded. Viera just sighed.

"Well, I think that about sums that up." She commented. "Looks like I have to do this the old-fashioned way."

Back on the Warrior Dome, Galvanax and the stranger were locked in a heated battle that was tearing what was left of the cockpit apart. Neither of them seemed to pay any mind to the fact that there were others in the cockpit or to the damage they were causing.

Galvanax forced the man against the side wall with the haft of his naginata, where he struggled to get free. Galvanax just sneered at him.

"You think one more Ranger is enough to stop me?" He asked him. "I'll destroy the rest of your team…"

"They're not my team!" The stranger announced, forcing Galvanax back with a huge energy surge. "But this trip has been educational. I heard there was a team here and came to harvest their powers for myself. Seeing how much trouble they had against your monster…they clearly are not ready. Perhaps in time they will be, in which case, I'll return."

He swung his sword, at which a glowing portal opened up, before he turned to look at Madame Odious, who was staring at him in terror.

"Oh, and that name you were so desperate for?" He asked. "It's Lord Drakkon."

With that, he stepped through the portal and disappeared. Everyone started slowly but surely getting up, uncertain what to make of what they had just seen and heard.

"Champ…" Odious started to say, but Galvanax didn't seem to want to hear it. He just shoved her out of the way and made his way back towards his own quarters. She just looked to Cosmo, who was picking up Wrench's head.

"Lord Drillion should be in the infirmary by now." She told him. "I'll make sure they fix him up, better than before."

"You do that." Cosmo snapped. He looked around at what used to be his cockpit as the maintenance team came in. "Clean all of this up! I want it all operational again by this time tomorrow!"

"But sir…"

"And someone do something about THIS would you?" He asked, thrusting Wrench's head into the hands of one of the engineers. "I have next week's show to prepare."

Down in the Ranger Base, the whole team had assembled following the battle. It wasn't unusual for them to do so, usually they liked to take a little while to decompress and to discuss the events, but it wasn't often the de-briefs were like this. The situation looked pretty bleak to say the least.

Mick paced the room, staring at what was left of one of the Ninja Swords. The team knew that it would be possible for the weapons to break, that much went without saying. Ninja Steel, while strong, was just like any other material and had its limits. It could be melted and forged, so it had a melting point, and although they had yet to meet it, like any other metal, it was bound to have a breaking point too.

"They're totally trashed." Calvin told him.

"I'll say they are." Mick sighed. "I'd quite literally be better served melting all these down and forging them again."

"How long's that going to take?" Sarah asked him. So far, they had lost a couple of Element Stars, three of their Ninja Swords and Brody's helmet. The weapons had done their job in protecting the Rangers, but that didn't mean they were now packing a lot less firepower if something else rolled around.

"Let's just say I don't think I'll be getting much sleep this week." Mick answered. "If you don't mind, I think I'll start with Brody's helmet. The crack in it weakens the whole thing. The last thing I think we need is someone splitting his melon open."

"This really is amazing, you've been doing this all year?" Principal Hastings asked. They all stared at her for a moment, before Calvin pointed a thumb in her direction.

"Am I the only one a little weirded out by the fact she's in here?" He asked. There wasn't really any answer, but the general consensus was that it was still taking a little getting used to that Principal Hastings now knew about them.

"I…I can call the school board." Principal Hastings told them. "I can tell them I can come back, it should take a little bit of the heat off."

"We appreciate the sentiment, but you're still really not ready." Mick told her.

"Mick, you're going to be run off your feet here…"

"Jennifer, it's fine!" Mick assured her. Hayley looked to Calvin and mouthed the word 'Jennifer' before making a little heart shape with her hands. Calvin had to stifle a laugh. "We're used to picking ourselves up."

"Well, so am I…"

"If I see a doctor's certificate clearing you to come back, then I'll let you come back." Mick told her. "I would say the exact same to any one of my Rangers."

Principal Hastings didn't look happy, but she didn't argue any further. Mick just sighed.

"Alright, the sooner we get started, the sooner we finish." He told them, taking Brody's helmet and tossing it into the furnace. "Brody, mind getting some coffee? This is going to be a long night."

In another part of the city, Ellie came to the hospital for visiting time, and was a little surprised to find Al sitting up in his bed with his lap top. She wasn't especially surprised to see that in particular, there wasn't much to do in the hospital, and so he had made great use of the internet access to keep himself occupied, but she was a little surprised that there seemed to be quite a few documents and papers around him.

"What's all this?" She asked him, looking around. He just smiled.

"This is what your husband does to keep himself distracted." He commented. "Believe me, there's only so much Twitter that's good for a person in a day."

"What exactly is all of this?" She asked him. She read some of his paperwork but was none the wiser. Ellie was more scientifically minded like their daughter and could read complex equations and technical schematics like they were kiddie books, but Al's legal and financial papers may as well be written in Dothraki to her. One of the nurses came in, carrying a tray. Al smiled as he saw it and moved his lap top aside.

"Strawberry pudding cup just as I promised." She told him. "I also got your coffee from the staff room machine instead of the one in the lobby, so it should taste of something."

"Thank you so much." Al told her, picking up some of the documents. "Alright, I filled out these forms which you should be able to mail immediately. I've made a short list of some receipts and forms I need to see to fill out some of the others, but it shouldn't take me long."

"It might take me a while to find these, my filing system consists of a shoe box." She told him. Al just laughed.

"Believe me, I've seen worse filing systems." He told her, before taking the pudding cup and the spoon. The nurse just left, leaving Ellie scratching her head.

"Is this something I should be jealous about?" She asked him.

"Please, you know I only have two special girls in my life." Al assured her. "She just mentioned some expenses in my physio session and I figured I could help her get some of it back."

"You're giving her financial advice?" She asked him. He just shrugged.

"It's not like it's hard. Most of the stuff I was able to tell her most people could look up themselves if they didn't make it as intentionally confusing as possible." Al said, ploughing into his strawberry pudding cup. "I swear, this is the only thing in this place that tastes edible!"

"So…she's got the services of a financial adviser for the price of…a pudding cup?" Ellie asked him.

"Ellie, I'm an auditor." He reminded her.

"Yes, and before that you were an investment broker." She reminded him in return. "A lot of that stuff is transferrable."

"Huh…I guess it is." He answered. "Anyway, I'm sure you didn't come to discuss the finer points of finance. What's going on at home?"

"Well…" She said, sitting down next to the bed. "I've got a couple of job interviews."

"Job interviews?" He asked.

"You know yourself our savings are only going to last so long." She said, seeing that he was feeling badly about the fact she had to look for work. "Marcus might be paying for all this, but we still have bills you know."

"Ellie, I'm going to come home…"

"You're going to come home when you're ready, and then you still have to find a new job!" She told him. "Unless you've reconsidered going back to work for Marcus."

"That's not an option." He stated flatly.

"He promised he'd not push the investment thing again…"

"I said it's not an option!" Al reiterated.

"Well, that still means you have to find something else." Ellie told him. "Which means until you do, the best option is I go back to work."

"But you have your inventions…"

"When was the last time I sold one of them?" She asked him. "Al, it's not like I haven't worked before."

"I know you have." Al sighed regretfully. "It's just…"

Ellie regretted how this made him feel. It had been a long time between Al's arrest and when he got back into the workforce. Between the hit to his reputation and the personal tail-spin that had led to his alcoholism it had been almost three years that he was not just unemployed, but to all intents and purposes unemployable. During that time Ellie had taken whatever work she could to keep the family afloat. Among the many regrets he had was the fact that Ellie had to do that, and one of the things he prided himself on getting back on his feet was the fact he could provide for his family again and let his wife return to what she enjoyed. Hearing her talking about taking work again almost felt like a step backwards, but there were practical factors too. She was right, bills needed to be paid. She placed a hand on his face gently.

"I don't mind, all I care about is seeing you back to your wonderful, jovial, dorky self." She replied, kissing him softly. "If it means I have to mop a few floors or serve a few sloppy joes, then I'll deal with it."

"I just really wish you didn't have to." Al told her. "I promise, I'll find something as soon as I can. I just need to figure out what."

They heard a knock on the door, and saw a young man, maybe around his mid-twenties standing in the doorway. He looked to them regretfully.

"Oh…um…I'm sorry, I didn't realise you still had a visitor. I'll come back." The man said, gesturing away.

"No, if you're here for my husband's condition…"

"I'm sorry, it's not…it's nothing important, I can come back…"

"I haven't seen you before." Al stated, gesturing him inside. "Have you just started here?"

"Not exactly, I'm an intern…but…um…I don't work on this wing." He told them. "I'll come back."

"No, now I'm really curious." Al said, waving him over. "What's your name?"

"Amir." He answered.

"Well, if you're not here for me, is there something I can do for you?" Al asked him. Amir started to look a little sheepish. He didn't feel comfortable being here in front of Al's wife.

"I'm friends with Gloria, your Physio nurse." Amir told him. "She was telling me about some of the stuff you did for her."

"OK?" Al asked, looking a little puzzled. Amir took a deep breath.

"My girlfriend is pregnant. We just found out." Amir told him. "My student loans are already pretty steep, and schools are getting pretty expensive. I was wondering if you could recommend some kind of saving plan or something."

Al looked to Ellie, who just shrugged.

"Take a seat Amir." Al told him, retrieving his laptop. "I'll need to know a little about your financial situation, but I might be able to think of a few ideas."


	9. Second Chances

The following morning, Madame Odious was in her lab, working over the charred and battered form of Drillion. Following the chaos that had broken out on the ship, they couldn't really keep track of the battle. They had no idea who Lord Drakkon was, or why he had attacked them on their ship. They had tried in vain to trace him but could find no mention of him anywhere in the universe, and his energy signature seemed to disappear completely without a trace after the battle. It was frustrating that they couldn't find him and had no real idea how to track him down to exact vengeance, but his distraction had caused immense damage to their bridge, and enough of a distraction they couldn't keep much track of the final moments of the Royal Flagship's descent.

They had performed a scan for the Flagship, not wanting to take any chances that Viera and the ship had survived, but so far, they found nothing. Either it had been destroyed, or Viera had some way of cloaking her ship. Either way, Galvanax had made it clear that until he had Viera's corpse in front of his eyes, he wanted to take no chances. While they were scanning, they did find one faint energy signature though. They had found Drillion's.

Madame Odious had to admit being impressed. It had taken all the energy he had, and if he hadn't been gigantified he would most certainly be dust, but between that energy and his own, he had survived, albeit barely. Kudabots had found him in some rubble, or rather what was left of him. Galvanax and Cosmo came into the lab just as she was checking on his vitals.

"How is he?" Galvanax asked her.

"Hanging by a thread." She answered honestly. "He's stubborn, but without these machines I doubt he'd have lasted more than another couple of hours. He's taken extremely severe tissue damage, about 85 percent of his bones…the ones that are left anyway, are broken, he has about 75 percent organ failure and his weapon arm was completely destroyed."

"So that means…"

"With regeneration I could have his biological systems back to full health by the next broadcast." She told them. "As for his weapon…I have a few ideas for some upgrades."

"So, you're saying he'll be back?" Cosmo asked her.

"Back?" She asked with a smirk. "He'll be stronger than ever!"

"What about Wrench?" Cosmo asked her. She just shrugged.

"I'll get around to it." She answered.

"HEY!" Wrench called out from where his head was resting on a workbench. "I am in the room you know!"

"Yes, I know you won't stop whining!" Odious groaned. "I'm this close to disabling your speech circuits!"

"You try having your head ripped off your body and see if you complain!" Wrench whined. Cosmo just sighed.

"He is our Chief Engineer." He reminded her. "I need him back online as soon as possible. If you're busy here, I can have someone else work on him."

"HEY!" Wrench complained as Odious picked up his head and tossed it to Cosmo. Galvanax came over and looked to Drillion, inspecting his inert body.

"You've done well, if anyone deserves another shot it's you." He commented. "If you make it through this and destroy the Rangers, you'll have your championship bout. That I promise you!"

With that, he turned and walked away. Cosmo followed him as he left. Madame Odious grabbed a power saw and turned it on, revving it up as she came to Drillion's side.

"Don't worry." She assured him. "I'm sure you won't feel some of this."

Sarah and Preston were in the park, wandering around in search of Billy. Sarah wanted to check up on him to make sure he was doing alright with the Cookie Creator. She had given it to him so that he could run it and earn the money he and his sister would need to feed themselves while his sister got better. Unfortunately, though, she couldn't see any signs of him.

Preston went with her, also hoping that they would find Billy working hard and making enough money that he and his sister would be alright. He knew that Sarah had trusted in Billy do make a go of it, which was why she had given away the project that she and Preston had hoped would get them a top grade in their business studies project. In the end, she wouldn't mind a lower grade. She probably wouldn't even mind failing that project if it meant that Billy and his sister were alright. Although they had been searching for most of the morning, they couldn't see any sign of him, which given the size of the Cookie Creator did not bode well.

"BILLY!" Sarah called out as she continued her search. "BILLY!"

"Sarah, he's not here." Preston said sadly.

"BILLY!" She called out again. She didn't want to give up, she wanted to see him doing well.

"Sarah, we've looked everywhere." He told her. "We've already been to the mall, the skate park, the zoo…he really can't have gone that far."

"I just want to see…"

"Sarah, I think…I think it's time to face the facts." Preston told her sadly. "He's probably hocked it."

Sarah looked deflated as Preston said this. It had occurred to her that her machine could get him some quick funds. Either selling it to someone who would run it, or selling it for scrap, the device could get him some money pretty quickly, but that would only be a short-term solution. If he got a couple of bucks from selling it, that would feed him and his sister for a few days, but after that, he would be right back where he started.

"But he promised…"

"I know he promised, and it's great you gave him the benefit of the doubt." Preston continued, looking to her. "But the fact is…we don't even know if he has a sister."

"What…what are you saying?" Sarah asked him.

"I'm saying that I think it's great you have a big enough heart to give someone a chance like you did with him, but the fact is, we only have Billy's word for it that his story is true." Preston reminded her, almost regretting saying it as he saw the devastating look on her face as he ran the possibility past her that she had been taken for a sucker. "He'd just been caught stealing. He might have sold a sob story to get himself out of trouble."

"You think…you think I've been played?" Sarah asked. Preston really hated the fact he had brought this up now. He felt his heard aching as he looked into her eyes and saw the disappointment that he might be right. He pulled her in, hugging her.

"It's never a bad thing to give people a chance. It's up to them what they do with it." Preston assured her. He smiled at her. "It's one of the things I like best about you. You're always willing to give someone a chance."

"I'm a sap for a sob story you mean." Sarah muttered. Preston just sighed.

"Well, it's Billy's loss if he didn't take the chance you gave him and make the best of it." He answered her.

"But that was our project, we were hoping for to win the trophy!" Sarah reminded him. "But by the time I take into account the building cost and ingredients, giving away that machine means…"

"Hey, we did pretty good. Most of these projects lose upward of three figures." He interrupted her. "Besides, you gave Viera a chance, and she really came through for us. If it wasn't for her, we'd be getting scraped out of Drillion's toe nails by now."

"I guess." She muttered.

"Come on, how about we go and visit your dad?" He asked her. "I'm sure he'd love a visit."

"I guess so." She replied. "Thanks Preston."

"What for?" He asked her.

"For not saying 'I told you so'?" She offered. He just pulled her in, tightening his hold on her.

"Like I ever would." He assured her.

Elsewhere, Viera was on her Royal Flagship, trying to assess the extent of the damage. The ship had taken a heavy bombardment from the Warrior Dome. She was lucky to be alive, but since she still was, that now left her with the very real problem of how she was going to get back home. Now that Drillion had challenged her for the throne, it was a certainty that others would be emboldened to do so as well. Her galaxy was bound to descend now into the chaos of a civil war for supremacy among her challengers, and without her even being there, it would be much harder to encourage loyalists to stand up and fight to retain her throne.

The ship was built to last, and it had survived the battle for the most part, but now its systems were in a sorry state. She didn't even have the damage report system up and running to even tell her how many of the systems were down. She had managed to get the cloaking device up and running, so at least she was sure Galvanax wouldn't be paying an unwelcome visit.

She powered up one of the consoles, which blinked and sparked as she tried to get it working.

"Alright, so the life support system is down, the lighting is down and the long-range scanners are down." She sighed, looking at the report. "Well, I guess it's just as well the engines aren't working either since that would just mean I could fly but I wouldn't be able to breathe or see where I'm going."

She started analysing her engine schematics, looking to see whether or not she could even operate the ship. It looked like she could run it as a ground transport, most of the mechanics for the tracks were unharmed, though it would take quite a while for the Flagship to dig itself out of the mountain it had imbedded itself in. However, given the sheer size of it, using it would draw a lot of attention. It was easily the size of a building, and there weren't too many places she could run it where it wouldn't be seen.

It was as she observed the flight controls, she saw a major problem.

"The anti-gravity crystal!" She gasped, running from the control panel to another section of the ship. She found a hole had been ripped in the side by one of the larger blasts, probably the one that had brought the ship down. The engines here had taken a beating, but worst of all, there was a very important piece missing.

There was a rare element on Viera's home planet, that had a very odd chemical property that made it very useful. Something about its composition defied many of the basic laws of physics and allowed it to defy gravity. Not only that, but properly processed, adding it to another object would allow it to do the same. Its discovery was a turning point in her Great Grandfather's expansion of his territory. It allowed him to make tanks, gunships, even space ships many times larger than could normally be powered with traditional engines a viable option. She could see its housing, but not the crystal. When the ship had been hit, the crystal had obviously fallen out, and the sudden increase in weight had blown out the rest of the engines, causing the ship to crash.

She sighed and activated the ship's scanners.

"Computer, are there any deposits of anti-gravity crystals on this planet?" She asked. The ship performed a scan.

"That is not an element that exists on this planet." The ship's computer told her, causing her to groan. "The only sample is the sample…"

"That belongs to this ship." She interrupted, shutting off the computer to conserve power. "Wonderful. It looks like I just have a planet to search."

Over at Summer Cove hospital, Sarah and Preston arrived, intending to visit her dad. Sarah did feel a little guilty for not visiting him more often, even though he had insisted she had a lot on her agenda and he didn't want her to waste too much time. As much as she loved being a Ranger and the adventures it brought, she did wish there was a little more time in the day so she wouldn't have to prioritise like this.

"Looks like it's busy today." Preston commented. "Got to love the weekends in hospitals."

Sarah just nodded in agreement. Between them, they weren't exactly strangers to a hospital. Sarah had ended up in hospital a few times with burns, cuts, even the odd broken bone as a result of her experimenting and tinkering. While she was careful, the fact was experimentation was called that for a reason. Often, she didn't fully know the outcome of one of her projects or potential dangers until it quite literally blew up in her face. Preston had also been in hospital a few times. It wasn't the first time he needed to be cut out of a box or had injured himself with one of his more dangerous magical props. They both knew that weekends were always busy in hospitals. Since most people were off work at weekends, that's when they would let their guard down and relax and some people would do silly things. Barbecues gone wrong, office desk-jockeys that suddenly thought they were Tom Brady on the weekend, a lot of people just ended up getting themselves hurt in the most outlandish ways.

There were plenty of staff around, which was a good sign. Thanks to Preston's dad, no expense was being spared on the hospital that had been chosen for Al's treatment, meaning that he was one of the fortunate ones to be in a hospital that had staffing levels that could cope with the demand.

"That is a lot of staff." Preston commented as they got near Al's room. Sarah started to look worried as she saw this and agreed. There were people in scrubs, a couple in maintenance overalls, even one or two in lab coats all hanging around one of the doors. As Sarah realised it was Al's room, she broke into a run.

"That's dad's room!" She told him, shoving her way through. "Excuse me, out of the way!"

As they shoved their way to the front, pushing through the last of the many people waiting, Sarah clearly fearing that something was badly wrong, they stopped short, surprised as they saw Al sitting up on his bed, with a laptop out, and a few forms around him. He was just hanging up his cell phone and putting it down as he looked to the guy in front of him. It was a doctor who was clutching some of his forms.

"What do you mean cash it in?" He asked. "My 401K is doing great!"

"Yes, it is…for now!" Al told him.

"It just went up 15 percent in one year!" The doctor protested. "Now you're saying I should cash it out?"

"You bet your ass I am." Al stated. "Look, I know it's a great return, but what you're looking for is stable growth. A jump like that is indicative of a bubble and you really want to cash out before it bursts."

"But…"

"Look, if you bet on a horse that's a hundred to one shot and it comes in, you don't throw your money straight onto another hundred to one shot." Al explained to him. "This is just a fancy form of gambling, you need to keep track of the trends. You're looking for sustainable growth, if it's more than about three percent a year, you're really looking at a bubble. Take it from someone that used to make a career fleecing people like you alive!"

"Well, thanks for the advice, but I think I'll take my chances." The doctor answered. Al just shrugged and shook his hand.

"I guess that's why they call it advice and not instruction." Al stated. "For what it's worth, I'd love to be wrong and wish you well."

As the doctor left, Al realised that Sarah and Preston were there. He smiled brightly and waved them over.

"Sarah! What a wonderful surprise!" He said, hugging her as she came over. Sarah moved away a little.

"Yeah, I really wanted to come visit." She told him. "Um…dad, what is all this?"

"Oh, right…um…" He said, before looking to the others. "Could I have the room please? I promise I'll keep each and every appointment."

They all started to file out of the room. He took Sarah's hand gently.

"Well, it's not just you that's doing a business project." He told her. "I mean, this here I'm just doing because I'm bored, and I owe the staff here a lot, but this has shown me something. A lot of the people that could really use a financial adviser are the people that can't actually afford a financial adviser."

"You're giving people financial advice?" Preston asked him. Al just nodded.

"A lot of financial advisers charge upwards of fifty dollars an hour. A lot of people don't have that kind of money, and most of the stuff I'm helping these people with is stuff that can be done online or with a couple of simple forms!" Al told her. "It also feels really good to be helping people with this stuff. There are a lot of people that are getting gouged really badly just because they don't understand the system. I should know, I used to be one of the ones gouging them."

"So…you're planning to keep this up?" Sarah asked him.

"I don't see why I couldn't run a home business where I charge a fair rate to help people that normally wouldn't be seeing someone like me." Al told her.

"That's great dad." She answered.

"So, how's the cookie business?" He asked in response. Sarah just sighed and shook her head.

"I…kind of gave it away." She told him. "There was this kid that tried to steal some of our cookies, he told me he couldn't afford to eat, so…I gave him the Cookie Creator."

Al could see the look on her face.

"We've been looking for him to see if he's getting along alright, but we haven't been able find him." Sarah said dejectedly. Al just held his daughter.

"Hey, it's never wrong to give someone a chance." He told her. "If he's taken that chance and flushed it, then that's his loss. I know I wouldn't be anywhere near where I am now if people didn't give me a chance."

"I know, it just…it really bums me out that I got played." Sarah replied. Al just nodded in agreement.

"Well, I'm sure your business was great." He assured her. "Just give Mrs Finch your report and I'm sure you'll get the credit you deserve."

"That'd kind of what I'm afraid of." Sarah grumbled. "After all's said and done I've made a loss."

"Welcome to business." Al chuckled. "If it was easy everyone would do it. Now, how about I take a look at the report?"

"No offence Mr Thompson, but I think having a professional financial adviser working pro-bono for us is kind of cheating." Preston stated. "We do appreciate the offer though."

"Then how about instead you just tell me what you've been up to?" Al asked her. She just smiled.

"Oh, you don't want to hear about that." She said, pulling some of her hair back. "It's been pretty boring."

"Sarah, you're talking to a man who's doing people's finances for fun just for something to do." Al laughed. "Why don't you both tell me a little about what you've been up to?"

"I…think I'll leave you to it." Preston replied, gesturing to the door. "I think I saw a candy machine down the hall."


	10. How to Succeed in Business

The sun was only just coming up when Viera left her ship to go in search of her missing anti-gravity crystal. She had already scanned the Earth's crust and knew that it was a mineral that simply didn't exist on Earth, and so she was left with no alternative but to resort to going out and looking for it.

She had quite a task ahead of her. The element was mined from her planet and had strange properties that allowed whatever it touched to defy gravity, significantly reducing the gravitational forces on it. While rare, it had been made into a significant number of weapons. It didn't require a huge amount to affect a significant weight. At one time, forging a piece no larger than a fingernail clipping was enough to make a sword so light that a child could swing it with incredible speed. The piece that gave her ship, which itself weighed almost as much as a building the boost it needed that it could fly inside a planet's gravity with an engine barely larger than a fighter jet was only a little smaller than a rugby ball, and she had a whole planet to search!

She had considered going incognito, of adopting a disguise once more, but she didn't know how dangerous or how hospitable the environment was on Earth. She didn't know how wise it would be to search for a significant length of ti me without protection. In the end, she had decided to go for function over stealth and once more donned her Lion Fire Armour as she prepared for her long search.

Leaving her ship, the best lead she had was to backtrack along the direction of her ship's fateful flight. It wasn't too hard to track given the drag marks and upturned earth on its final stretch, but it did point at least a direction.

She walked for what felt like hours. While she was healthy from her training regime designed to prepare her for leading her armies when her dad was gone, she was not terribly used to walking long distances. She usually used a transport of some description, in some cases a riding beast from her stables, and on some occasions, some of her servants would even carry her. As she got to the foot of the mountains she found something that piqued her interest. There was a tree that had been obliterated by falling debris, most likely from her ship. That in and of itself wasn't terribly interesting, but what was interesting was the fact that the main body of the tree, instead of lying on the ground, was actually hovering about ten feet in the air.

Smiling, she broke into a run towards the tree, and looking at it as it turned lazily in the breeze, she could see that there was a bright, glowing red crystal imbedded in the trunk. Using the power of the Lion Fire Armour to augment her strength, she leapt into the air, landing on the trunk and looked for the crystal, yanking it out she leapt off the tree as it crashed to the Earth. Landing a little way off, she inspected it, but to her horror, she could see that it was nowhere near the size it was meant to be. Logically she thought that would have to be the case, if the whole crystal had lodged in the tree, it would likely be a satellite by now.

Cursing in her native language, she realised that luck was not on her side. The crystal hadn't just been blasted from the ship, it had splintered as well. Into how many pieces, she couldn't be sure, but this one piece alone wouldn't be anything like enough to counteract the weight of her whole ship. Putting it in a special container and strapping it to her back, she continued on her journey. There were more pieces to find, and while she had no idea how to reconnect them if she found them, she had to at least find enough to make the trip back home. She thought for a moment or two about her situation. While she had taught herself some science, her father's only value for it was in weapons and so he discouraged her from learning it in favour of more useful endeavours. He reasoned there were always more scientists to build his weapons for him. She didn't know anyone on this planet, or…or did she. She did meet the Rangers, and she had helped them. Although primitive, they did seem to have some grasp of technology, perhaps she could convince them to help. Of course, that just left her the question of where to find them.

She knew they were around her age, and on her planet kids of that age tended to still being educated. Reasoning that Earth would most likely be the same way, she figured when she got to town, she could check out the local educational centres. Getting to her feet, she carried on along her journey.

Meanwhile, at the school, the Rangers had come in early to help out Mick. Hayley, Calvin, Levi and Brody had been helping Mick and Redbot all weekend, desperately rushing to get all their weapons and power stars repaired. Normally Mick would have a little work to do between battles, repairing the odd nick or sharpen the odd blade, but Drillion had really done a number on their weapons. Redbot was just pulling one of the broken Ninja Swords off the anvil.

"This Starblade is as good as new!" He declared proudly. He handed it to Calvin, who took a few practice swings just to check it out.

"The balance seems fine." He said as he inspected it. "You did a great job on this."

"Well, that's what 48 straight hours and more coffee than the whole of Columbia will do for you." Mick declared as he finished up with an Element Star. "Redbot and I have now repaired all of the weapons that Drillion destroyed."

"Good thing we don't have to face that guy again." Levi commented. "I mean, no offence I know what you do here is great, but it was becoming pretty clear we were outmatched out there."

"He does have a point." Brody said as he looked to his helmet, which had been re-forged completely to repair the damage. "We're going to have to start looking to expand our arsenal. We can't take any chances he's got anyone else like Drillion up there."

"Not to mention sooner or later Galvanax might see fit to come for that re-match he promised us." Hayley answered. Preston just shuddered.

"Could you…not say things like that please?" He asked. Sarah just looked to him and stroked his shoulder gently. The first bell went, alerting them all to the first class.

"Well, the bad news is, we all have to get to class." Brody sighed. "The good news is we all have music first period."

"And you think the teacher's a soft touch?" Levi joked with a smile. "Don't worry, I know how hard all the kids have been working on Mrs Finch's business project. I've got a nice, easy lesson for all those tired students this morning."

Over in Millport, Victor and Monty were still working hard. They had been working all weekend, and while it was exhausting work, they were extremely confident about their project.

"This is a great idea, isn't it?" He asked, loading up sacks onto a wheelbarrow. Both he and Monty had been loading up wheelbarrows and taking them back to town to sell their wares to keep the costs down. "So much better than that stupid milk idea you came up with."

"I came up with?" Monty asked incredulously. "It was YOU that almost got us shot for cattle rustling!"

"I think you'll find…" Victor started to say as his words tailed off. The alarm on his phone was sounding. He looked to it and realised the time.

"Victor, school just started!" Monty whined. "We're late!"

"Oh Monty, it's only music class." Victor scoffed. "Who ever made money out of music?"

"Um…well…our teacher for one thing." Monty reminded him. Victor just glared at him.

"All luck." He declared. "The world of business, that's where the real brains thrive!"

"MOOOOOOOO!" They heard a cow calling out. They looked a little puzzled by this and started looking around. They were quite a long way from the grazing fields. As the cow mooed again, they looked up and saw a cow flying through the air.

"Well…that's something you don't see every day." Victor commented.

"Victor, how did it get up there?" Monty asked. Just then, they heard a yell as someone ran between them and leapt into the air, grabbing onto the cow. The mysterious stranger started rummaging around, as though looking for something.

Viera eventually found what she was looking for. A piece of the crystal had lodged itself in the cow's backside, causing it to float into the air. Looking around for something soft for the poor beast to land on, she opted for a stack of hay and then pulled out the crystal, letting the cow fall back to the ground. While she didn't speak the language, she could be certain that it was probably relieved. She patted the creature gently and got up, putting the crystal away.

She could see Victor and Monty both staring at her, and realising that these people were kids, she hit on an idea. She made her way over towards them.

"That was…AMAZING!" Monty declared, looking at her. Victor just stood, wordless, not knowing what to say or do. Viera determined that Monty was the most useful one to talk to.

"You there!" She called out, coming up to him. Monty could see through the gap in her helmet as she came right up to him and saw the face of his angel. He would know it anywhere, the mystery girl that saved him from Ace and his gang. His heart started thumping as he saw her, and a goofy smile crossed his face. "I am looking for children."

"Wha…wha…wha…what?" He stammered.

"Children, where do you keep your children?" She asked him.

"I…I…don't have any…"

"No, I mean education, where do your children learn?" She asked again, becoming frustrated. "There are some children I'm looking for."

"Oh, you mean the school?" Victor asked her. "We're just headed that way!"

"You can follow us if you'd like!" Monty rushed out. Princess Viera just smiled.

"Very well!" She declared. "Lead the way!"

As Victor and Monty grabbed the handles and started walking their wheelbarrows towards the road, Monty pulled in closely to Victor.

"That's her!" He whispered excitedly. "That's HER!"

"It is?" Victor asked, looking back at Viera, who was following on a short way behind them. He looked back to Monty. "What the hell is she wearing?"

"I don't care." Monty sighed dreamily. "She's coming to our school!"

"Whatever." Victor commented. "Come on, if we hurry we'll be back in time for Mrs Finch's class."

Back at the school, Mrs Finch was in the Principal's Office, dealing with some of the paperwork she needed to between classes. Juggling her duties between her own classes and the duties of the Principal while Principal Hastings was still on recovery leave was an incredible chore. Not only did she have the responsibilities of both roles to fill, she also had to check over virtually everything the school had done in the previous couple of months when Principal Hastings had been replaced by Odious.

They had found out from the police after they interviewed her that Principal Hastings had been taken a couple of months previously. She had told them that after a strange old lady had delivered a bunch of useless junk to the school, including a board game that she gave to some of the kids, she had gone to the dump to get rid of them on her usual evening run. As part of her exercise regime she always ran between her home and the school. It was there that she had been kidnapped. It at least cut down the time frame now that they knew how long Odious had been involved in the decisions, and while Principal Hastings had insisted that her kidnapper always brought the paperwork to her to do to allay suspicions, they still had to be sure it hadn't been affected by her captivity.

It was something of an education for Mrs Finch. She had never really had any interest in the administration side of the school. She was very much passionate about teaching and was already doing the job that was pretty much ideal for her. She always felt that once someone got involved in the administration side of things, it limited their contact with students, and that was really what she loved. It was only the fact that no one else would take the Principal's position, especially short-term, and that the school would close if she didn't that kind of forced her hand.

She had always thought that administration was a breeze. She rarely saw the office staff do much of anything, and always assumed that it was easy. She had been proven completely wrong on that account by just a few days in the new role. Disciplinary reports, letters to parents, meeting with boosters and donators, meeting with education officials…it was a lot more than she ever thought was involved. She had already resolved that when Principal Hastings came back, she would never say a word against how little she did ever again.

She heard a soft rap on the door and looked up curiously. She wasn't expecting anyone. She went to the door and opened it, finding someone standing outside.

"Oh…um…hello." She commented, looking a little confused. "Can I help you with something?"

A little later on, the period before lunch, Mrs Finch's class was going over all their business studies projects. They had all had a weekend to run their respective businesses, and just as she predicted, through several years of running this project, the result were…interesting to say the least.

"So, in conclusion, our business project…failed." One of the schoolkids said rather dejectedly. "Not only was no one paying us to remove the dog poop from the park, but we ended up getting chased off the property."

"Someone chased you?" Calvin asked.

"The groundskeeper!" One of them replied. "He kept screaming at us for trying to steal his job!"

"So, what was the outcome?" Mrs Finch asked.

"By the time equipment costs were taken into account, the pooper scoopers, the dog poop bags and the trash bags, we lost eighty-eight dollars and ninety-four cents."

"Well, your idea was civic minded, even if you didn't think it through all the way. I'll give you a C minus." Mrs Finch told them. "Brody and Benny, how about you?"

"Well, we kind of got interrupted a lot." Brody said sheepishly. "By the time equipment costs were taken into account, and we refunded a couple of customers unhappy with their washes…we lost fifteen dollars."

"Well, your concept was good, and your idea of going for a minimal outlay was good, so…I'll say that's a solid C." Mrs Finch stated. "Now I think I might have saved the best for last. I remember seeing you both moving more cookies than the local bakery! Preston, Sarah, how did you do?"

"Actually, Mrs Finch…I'm afraid our project ran into a serious problem." Sarah said as she and Preston went to the front of the class to do their presentation. Preston had offered to go up and explain, but Sarah believed very much in taking responsibility for her decisions and her actions. She was the one that decided to give away their business, and she hadn't really given Preston much choice in the matter. She had been sucked in by Billy's sob story and given his business away without so much as even checking out his story. "I…kind of gave our business away."

"You gave your business away?" Mrs Finch asked, looking a little surprised. "Sarah, if you run your business until it fails that's one thing, but if your venture fails because you just give up on it…that'll be a failing grade."

"I know, and I feel really, really badly about it, so I was hoping…I was hoping you'd judge me and Preston separately." Sarah told her. "I was the one that gave the machine away. Preston shouldn't suffer because of my bad decision. You should give me an F, but judge Preston on how the business did before I did."

Preston handed in the report.

"By the time build cost and ingredients were factored in, the business only lost twenty dollars and eighteen cents." Preston informed her. "I estimate if we'd ran it for another hour, we'd have been in profit."

"Well that is all very impressive, but I'm afraid that's not how business works." Mrs Finch stated. "If one partner makes a decision that fails the business, all the other partners suffer too. That's how business works. It's not fair, but that's what being partners means I'm afraid."

Sarah looked to Preston apologetically, but he just sighed and nodded to indicate he understood.

"You're right." Preston said sadly. "I should get an F too."

"This isn't like either of you, what happened?" Mrs Finch asked. Preston and Sarah looked at each other, wondering if they should tell her why they gave away their business just as it was about to become the first business project in the school's history to make a profit. In the end, they opted not to.

"I'm sorry, I guess…we're just not very good at business." Sarah offered. Mrs Finch just smiled.

"Well, I think you did learn something that a lot of businesses should, and that is responsibility in the community." She told her. "Billy, would you come in here for a moment?"

Sarah and Preston both looked to each other as Billy came into the class with a bright smile on his face. Sarah had started to believe that she'd never see him again now he had what he wanted.

"Why don't you tell the class what you came to tell me?" She asked him.

"Sarah heard that my family was in desperate need of money. I actually tried to steal from her, but instead of turning me into the cops, she gave me the machine and twenty bucks to get started." Billy told the class. "Now thanks to the money I made, I was able to take care of my sister. She's getting better and should be able to go back to work soon."

He took out twenty dollars and handed it to Sarah.

"That's for the ingredients." He told her. "Thanks for believing in me."

Sarah didn't care about the money in the slightest, even if it did mean that now, officially her business had only lost eighteen cents. She was elated that her faith in Billy and his intent to do the right thing was not unfounded. She hugged him tightly.

"We've been looking all over for you, what happened?" Preston asked. "We thought…"

"You thought I'd hocked the machine, didn't you?" Billy teased him. Preston started to rub his neck awkwardly.

"Well…the thought crossed my mind." He admitted. Billy just smiled.

"On my first sale I met a bunch of college kids who bought like eight boxes of cookies." He told them. Both Preston and Sarah just blinked.

"Eight…eight…BOXES?" Preston asked him.

"Yeah, they said they were SUPER hungry! They told me that the dorms would love them! So, I took the machine to the local college." He continued as he pulled several hundred dollars. "I was only there about an hour and a half before I'd sold everything I had!"

"The munchies." Preston and Sarah both said, smacking their foreheads as the class laughed. It seemed that event though he was much too young for the class, Billy had made the smartest business decision in the room…knowing his market!

"Well class, I think it's safe to say that even though you did technically make a loss, this is one of the best business ideas I've heard in a long time! You both get an A!" Mrs Finch declared. Preston and Sarah high-fived as they headed back to their seats. Mrs Finch looked around the class.

"Alright, that just leaves Victor and Monty to present their project." Mrs Finch stated. She looked around the class but could see no sign of them. "Victor and Monty? Has anyone seen Victor and Monty?"

Everyone looked around and shrugged, unable to think of the last time they had seen them. Hayley started to wrinkle her nose.

"Does anyone else smell that?" She asked. Just then, it hit everyone else, and it hit them hard! Kids started to groan and gag in disgust as they grabbed their noses.

"What the hell is that?" Brody asked.

"For the love of God, someone open a window!" Mrs Finch yelled. Calvin went over, opening up the window, but it didn't seem to help much. A few moments later, Victor and Monty came in, pushing a couple of wheelbarrows. They were smiling, but they were the only ones that were.

"Sorry we're late Mrs Finch." Victor told her. "We had to stop off for a couple of last-minute sales."

"What the hell is that smell?" Hayley said, waving one of her books in front of her to try and waft it away. "Is that…is that you two?"

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to present to you the winning project." Victor stated, grabbing one of the bags from his wheelbarrow. "Victor and Monty's farm-fresh, completely organic fertiliser!"

"Fertiliser?" Preston coughed. "Are you saying those wheelbarrows are full of…"

"We went down to Millport, and we were offered a great deal by one of the farmers there." Victor told them. "Virtually all the farms there have livestock, and while they do use the…um…waste…there for their crops, there's only so much they need."

"And that is a LOT of surplus poo, let me tell you!" Monty stated.

"So, for the cost of a couple of shovels, some canvas bags and a couple of wheelbarrows…"

"They let you take it away?" Brody asked. Victor smiled and pointed to him.

"Even better, they PAID us to take it away!" Victor answered. "We then portion it up into these bags and voila, instant fertiliser!"

"The local market charges twenty dollars a bag, we only charge ten." Monty stated. Victor pulled a crumpled-up piece of paper out of his pocket. He put it down in front of Mrs Finch.

"Minus costs for equipment, we made a profit of one thousand, nine hundred and ninety-three dollars." Victor said proudly, waving the cash in the air. Everyone just stared at them in disbelief.

"That's…that's pretty damned ingenious!" Preston was forced to concede.

"Did…did Victor and Monty just win?" Hayley stammered. Mrs Finch just looked to the piece of paper and checked the sums.

"Well, I have to say…this is VERY impressive! I have to say…this is very well deserved. Both of you get an A plus!" She told them, at which Victor and Monty high-fived and started to dance excitedly. "And for turning a profit, you are the first ever recipients of this trophy!"

"YES!" Victor declared loudly, falling to his knees as Mrs Finch handed it to him.

"Congratulations Victor, that's trophy number forty-nine." She told him.

"YES! Thank you I…wait…what?" He asked. "Who…wha…what do you mean trophy number forty-nine? This is number fifty."

"Oh, I'm sorry Victor, but the school tennis trophy is an annual trophy, and it expired last week." Mrs Finch told him.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Victor wailed as he fell to his knees as the class laughed. None of them noticed a little mouse scurrying into the room, and finding its way onto Hayley's bag, before turning into a lion shaped pin.


	11. AAA Has Nothing On Us

The rest of the morning went by relatively quickly for the Rangers. The school heard pretty quickly about Victor and Monty's triumph in the business studies project, an assignment that many were starting to believe was impossible. After disposing of their leftover product, showering and changing at the insistence of pretty much everyone to get rid of the smell, they spent the rest of the morning being showered with praise by their peers. It should have been a moment of glory for Victor, but it did bring something sharply into focus for him. For all the trophies he won, all the titles he got, the glory was fleeting. He had never thought of the fact that it was now over a year since he won his tennis trophy. He had thought that he had won his fiftieth trophy, but as far as the books were concerned, and the trophy cabinet, he had forty-nine.

Victor was by the trophy case, looking at his trophies. He was checking the dates he had won them all, trying to figure out how long he had before he lost any more. He was determined to break the record of fifty trophies before he left High School.

"Track and field trophy, still has four months on it, the school rowing trophy still has six." Victor rhymed off as he was checking them all. Monty was sitting beside him, taking notes. He looked completely dejected as he took down all the dates as Victor read them out. "Come on Monty, what is with you?"

"She just…left." Monty mumbled. "She was right outside the class."

"She said she was looking for someone, she probably went looking for them." Victor said reassuringly, looking back to the trophy cabinet. "Darn it, the softball trophy is up next month! I need to get to the batting cages."

"Hey, Victor!" Hayley greeted him as she arrived with Sarah. They were both on their way to the Ranger Base to check on things. They were glad to have their old weapons back, but Drillion had been something of a wake-up call. They knew that they would need to up their firepower soon. They were sure that Drillion couldn't be the most powerful of all of Cosmo's competitors. That didn't mean to say that she wasn't willing to accept when he had done a good job. "I just wanted to say congratulations again on winning that business studies trophy."

"Yeah, whatever." He grumbled. "I can't believe I didn't notice that tennis trophy expired."

"What is it with you and trophies?" Hayley asked. Sarah didn't really want to answer. She knew a little bit about Victor, and in particular of his idolisation of his father. Victor's dad had been a field medic with the army who was killed in action saving the crew of an armoured personnel carrier under enemy fire. Victor had been resentful for a while, but he now felt an intense sense of pride and tried as much as possible to live up to his dad's image, trying to excel in everything he did. "You know those things are only temporary right? Sooner or later someone else's name is going to be on every one of those."

"Really. Well…you're probably just still sore that it was me that beat you for that tennis trophy in the first place." Victor responded. "Now, your president is busy, so if you don't mind…"

"You know, you might not be president much longer either." Sarah reminded him.

"Wh..wha…what do you mean by that?" He asked.

"The elections are coming up soon." Hayley reminded him.

"Are you kidding me?" Victor complained. "I have to get elected AGAIN? Who came up with that stupid system?"

"You mean democracy?" Sarah asked him. "That would be the Greeks."

"See you around Victor." Sarah said as they left. Victor just sighed and turned back to the trophy cabinet.

"Alright, back to work Monty." He stated. "Weightlifting champion…I won that last month…seriously, EVERY year? I need to get elected EVERY year?"

Hayley and Sarah went to the Ranger Base, finding the others already in the middle of the meeting. Mick had some new Ninja Stars, but without the Nexus Prism activating, there was no way for those start to turn into anything new. None of them really knew or understood how it worked or why the Nexus Prism would work on some occasions and not on others. It always seemed to have a purpose, but what made it make its decisions was a complete mystery.

"Hi guys, sorry we're late." Sarah said apologetically. "We got caught up."

"That's alright." Levi sighed. "The best idea anyone's come up with so far is a Ninja Star Slingshot."

"It's a good idea!" Calvin protested.

"Except every single one of those Ninja Stars would have to be made of Ninja Steel." Mick reminded him. "We don't exactly have an infinite supply. We don't want to run out what we have left with what amounts to bullets."

"So, what exactly ARE we going to do?" Hayley asked, putting her bag down. "Last time I checked, Mick and Sarah had pretty much maxed out the energy weapons as much as they could. I don't think our ninja blasters are going to be much good if they blow up in our faces."

She paused as she saw Mick pointing in her direction. She looked to him curiously.

"Mick, what is it?"

"Where did you get that?" He asked, pointing towards her bag. She just shrugged.

"I don't know…my mom got it ages ago. I think maybe it was Banana Republic or…"

"No, not the bag, THAT!" Mick clarified pointing in a more animated fashion. Everyone just looked to the bag to try and see what he was getting worked up about.

"Hey, that is kind of cool. I haven't noticed it before." Calvin said, approaching the bag and inspecting the lion pin on it. "Did you get it at that flea market we went to a couple of weeks ago?"

"You go to flea markets together?" Preston said, holding his hands in a heart shape. "They go antiquing together already. Are they this team's OTP or what?"

"I've…I've never seen it before." Hayley told him, looking at the pin. It looked like it was gold or gold plated, certainly not the kind of thing Hayley normally went for. She did wear jewellery, but the buttons and pins she wore on her clothing tended to have a more functional edge to them. Most of them were declarations of her political standpoint or dedicated to fandoms she was a part of, but this was rather ornate to pin onto her bag, which she would often leave unattended. It would just be an invitation for it to get snatched. "I have no idea where this came from."

"Mick, what's going on?" Brody asked as he saw Mick's face starting to go red.

"That…is the Royal Crest." He told her. "That is the crest of the Royal Family of the Lion Galaxy!"

"Mick, are you sure?" Calvin asked, reaching for it. "I mean, it is kind of cool and all, but where would someone on Earth get…WHOA!"

They all jumped back as Calvin touched the pin, and in a moment, it transformed in a burst of light, much like Mick did whenever he transformed. When they recovered enough to see, they all saw Princess Viera standing before them. They all rushed to prepare a guard, Mick went as far as to grab a Ninja Sword off the workbench. Viera smiled at them, hoping to win them over.

"Hello again Rangers." She greeted them, uncertain now as to how wise her plan was. She had helped the Rangers once before, but at the same time the whole situation had been her fault in the first place. She couldn't really blame them if they weren't exactly happy to see her.

"Princess Viera?" Levi asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Galvanax managed to shoot down my ship. I managed to steer it long enough to crash land it in a mountain range away from the city." She informed them. "But it means I'm stranded here. My ship has been heavily damaged."

"Well, thank goodness you're OK." Brody said, easing up a little. "We never did get a chance to thank you for helping us against Drillion."

"If you can help me get my ship flying again, I think I can help you defeat Drillion." She informed them. "I think it might be the only thing powerful enough to destroy him."

"Wait…defeat Drillion? You kind of already did that." Levi stated.

"Yeah, we all saw that butt-kicking you gave him." Preston agreed. "Nothing could have survived that…right?"

"I'm afraid I wasn't able to unleash the Lion Ship's full power on him. It draws its power from the atmosphere of the planet it's on." She informed them. "I didn't want to risk making your environment unbreathable so I only powered the weapons for a few seconds. For some reason your planet's atmosphere is not as robust as my own."

"Thank you, Greenhouse Effect." Hayley muttered under her breath.

"So, you want us to help you repair your ship?" Brody asked her. She just nodded her head and looked to Sarah.

"I've been educated in a great many fields, but none of them qualify me to repair the Lion Ship." She told them. "I've seen what you can do Sarah. If anyone on this planet has the technological know-how to get my ship up and running again, it's you."

"Do you think you can?" Brody asked Sarah. She just looked among them.

"Well, I…I don't know…"

"Come on Sarah, you're a natural with this kind of stuff!" Preston told her. "You made the Whiplash attack, you made the Clone Star tech, you made that cookie machine that made Monty's lunch edible, that's pretty much a miracle!"

"I…I don't know, I've never seen her technology." Sarah told them. "I did a lot of tinkering in Amber Beach, but Dr Morgan was always the real brains behind everything, if she was here, she'd have that thing up and running by this afternoon. I couldn't even make my only attempt at building a Zorn work."

"Is this Dr Morgan nearby?" Viera asked them. They all looked to Sarah.

"Unfortunately, she's still in Africa." Sarah sighed.

"Well, we can always see what we can do." Brody interjected. "How do we get the ship back in the air?"

Viera pulled out the shards of the anti-gravity crystal and showed them to the Rangers.

"My ship's anti-gravity crystal was damaged. I can't get a replacement here on Earth." She informed them. "Without it, my ship is much too heavy for the engines to power. My ship needs another source of power to fly."

"Mick, you're the mechanical genius, do you have any ideas?" Brody asked him. They all looked to Mick, who was still gripping the Ninja Sword tightly, glaring at Princess Viera hatefully. They were all well aware of how he felt about her and the Royal Family. None of them could blame him either, he had pretty good reasons to be resentful.

"I don't think we should help her at all." Mick answered coldly. "She's the ruler of the Lion Galaxy. It WAS my home, until the Royal Family took me and a hundred others and sold us to Cosmo!"

They looked to Viera, who was horrified by what she had heard. She was only seventeen, she hadn't even been born when the sale took place, but she had seen enough of her father's atrocities and horrific policies to know it was exactly the kind of thing he would do. She had no reason to doubt Mick in his statement, she was well aware of the fact that her father was a despot.

"It's because of HER family that I haven't seen my parents in twenty years!" Mick screamed, pointing at her. Viera couldn't stop a tear starting to run down her face as she heard the sheer hatred in Mick's voice. She knew a great many people had grudges against her family, some more justified than others, but in Mick's case, she could completely understand why he would wish harm on her. "In fact, you know what? Remember what I asked you to do Sarah? I'm going to do the universe a favour and do it myself!"

"Whoa, Mick wait!" Brody called out as the Rangers tried to grab him. Viera was frozen to the spot as she watched him coming over. With the others hanging off him, grabbing him and trying to pull him away, Mick still came forward, driven by the strength of twenty years of anger and hate. He grabbed Viera by the throat, forcing her backwards over one of the workbenches as he raised his other hand with the Ninja Sword to strike. Viera's helmet fell off, clattering to the floor, revealing her face. It was only then that Mick stopped, looking into her face and recognising her.

"You…you're…you're the kid from the park." He gasped, remembering seeing her when he was out feeding the ducks with Jennifer. The others finally managed to pull him away as he eased up a little. Calvin quietly took the Ninja Sword from his hand as he tried to put it somewhere it wouldn't cause any further harm.

"I'm sorry!" Princess Viera sobbed. "I…I didn't know about what happened to your people, but I know it to be true. My father was a monster!"

"That was him, that wasn't you." Sarah said in a soothing voice, helping Viera off the table. "I don't think there's one of us here who's exactly like their parents."

"Well, my dad's a marine biologist, I don't even like fish-sticks." Hayley interjected.

"Yeah, and I couldn't be less like my dad if I tried." Preston added. Sarah offered Viera a tissue.

"Mick, I'm truly sorry." She sobbed as she tried to think of what to say. "I'll admit, I came here to prove I could rule with an iron fist like my father, but you've all shown me that kindness is a much better way."

She looked to Sarah, who was smiling to hear this. It had been her that convinced Viera that an act of compassion made friends rather than allies, and that friends were more likely to help even when it wasn't in their best interests, as opposed to allies who would only help as long as it benefitted them.

"If you'll help me, I intend to go back to the Lion Galaxy, where I intend to lead everyone in a new way. Your way. A better way." She assured them. Mick just looked to her.

"Do you think that's likely?" He asked her. "You are going to be asking a lot of powerful people to give up a way of life they've lived for thousands of years."

"And it's because of that I believe that now might be the time to change it." Viera assured him. "I know I can't be the only one who's tired of never knowing a single day without war. I'm only seventeen and there hasn't been one day in my life the Lion Galaxy hasn't been in a state of war. There are many much older than me that can say the same thing. Maybe now is the time to change that."

Mick didn't say anything, he just nodded. It sounded good to hear her talk of a more peaceful society, but that didn't mean that those years of slavery and imprisonment didn't happen. He wasn't yet ready to allow himself to believe that it was possible that his home could change so drastically. Sarah pointed to the Nexus Prism.

"Guys, look!" Sarah called out, gesturing to the Nexus Prism. It had once more come to life, showing once again the image of the Lion Ship flying through the galaxy. It had been a while since the team had seen it activate, but they all knew when it did, it did so with a purpose.

"That's the third time the Nexus Prism has shown the Lion Ship." Redbot informed them. "It can't be a coincidence, it has to want us to do something to help."

"Maybe…if we use the Ninja Steel, we can turn the Lion Ship into a Megazord." Sarah suggested, looking to the others. She got more than a few questionable looks about this. "Think about it, it's not like we have to stop by the Texaco to gas up our Zords now is it? The Ninja Steel might be able to provide enough power to get the Lion Ship up and running again!"

"That could work!" Princess Viera said.

"Um…I…don't think so." Mick told them. They all stared at him.

"Mick, come on." Calvin stated. "We already know it wasn't Viera who did that stuff to you and your family."

"Yeah, she did help us out…"

"It's…not that." Mick told them. "There's a slightly more…practical problem."

He got the old trophy that Aiden had hidden the Ninja Steel in and turned it upside down over a sheet of paper on his workbench. The Rangers all stared as they saw a small amount of Ninja Steel. Mick threw his hands up and sighed.

"Between all the stars and weapons, we've made already and the repairs we had to make after Drillion's last attack, that's all the Ninja Steel we have left." He informed them. "I estimate we might have enough for one, maybe two Power Stars."

"Mick, we need to help Viera." Hayley told him. "If she doesn't go back to the Lion Galaxy, they'll have an open throne. We've seen what happens when that happened on our planet a few times, imagine a whole Galaxy like that!"

"She did help us." Preston reiterated.

"Mick, please…do this for us." Sarah said, looking to him hopefully. Brody could see the mood of the room, but he also appreciated the practical problem of giving potentially all the Ninja Steel they had left to Viera.

"Alright, this has to be a unanimous decision, otherwise I'm sorry Viera, but we can't afford to help." Brody told her. "I vote we help."

"Count me as vote number five." Calvin stated. "I know we got off on the wrong foot, but to me, Viera showed us who she really is when she helped with Drillion."

"My vote makes six." Levi chipped in. "I don't know where I'd be if the Westons didn't help me."

"Alright then, Redbot and I will get to work on a new Zorn Star." Mick answered, picking up the paper and tipping the Ninja Steel into a melting spoon. "It'll probably take a week."

"A week?" Viera asked. "What am I supposed to do until then?"

"Well…you can stay here." Brody offered her. She felt a little uneasy accepting an invitation to stay, particularly since one of the people that lived there had only moments ago tried to ram a sword through her heart.

"Come on, we can't expect her to stay cooped up in here all that time." Preston said. "Even Redbot gets to stretch his legs in the woods once in a while."

"I think I have an idea." Hayley said with a little smile. Viera just looked to them both a little curiously.


	12. New Starts

Up on the Warrior Dome, Wrench walked shakily and uneasily back into Odious' lab. She had heard him coming a long way off; it was taking him more than a little while to get used to his new body.

It was still less than a week after he'd been decapitated by the mysterious intruder, Lord Drakkon. It was only the fact that Wrench had long since replaced virtually all his biological systems other than his brain and could live without his body that allowed him to survive, something he was sure was not within Drakkon's plan when he had done it. Cosmo had instructed his engineering department to spare absolutely no effort or expense on getting Wrench a new body and back to work. Wrench was, after all, his Chief Engineer.

She let out a little chuckle as he got to a workbench and leaned over for support, buckling it under his strength and scattering tools.

"Wrench, I had hardly noticed you there." She mocked him. Wrench just looked up at her and let out a dissatisfied growl.

"Those stupid engineers, this body..."

"From what I understand it is a significant upgrade to that toy you built from Sledge's scraps." She interrupted him. Wrench just stood up, but lurched backwards, hitting a wall and stopping there for support. He used the wall to stand up straight.

"That 'toy' as you put it was the result of millions of years of tinkering and refinement! I knew every circuit intimately!" Wrench protested, staring at his hands. "This body may be more powerful and have more weapons, but it's like being thrown behind the wheel of a truck after driving a sports car for years! Curse that Lord Drakkon, he's going on my list!"

"Oh, wherever he is, I'm sure he's terrified." Odious laughed derisively. Wrench just looked to her current project, which was on the table.

"So where is he? I thought finding him was your job." He commented.

"I have many jobs." She told him. "Besides, none of the scans I've done find him anywhere. Not in this universe."

"Have you tried...?"

"Temporal traces, gamma, full spectrum wavelength...I've tried everything." Madame Odious told him. "Wherever he is, it's like he just disappeared from the universe altogether."

"Disappeared from the universe? That's unlikely." He replied sarcastically, looking to the bench.

"Unless you believe in Multiverse theory...which I do." She told him. "If he is from another universe that would explain how we can't find him now."

"Either that or you're incompetent." Wrench muttered.

"Well, I'm not the one that can't stand without wrecking the place." She responded. Wrench looked to the item on the bench.

"Are you...are you building a tool box?" He asked her.

"This is Lord Drillion's new upgrade." She told him proudly. "Why should he have to manually switch weapons when he can have all the weapons he wants right at his hands at will?"

"It's...it's a TOOL BOX!" Wrench exclaimed. "It's the most ridiculous looking thing I've ever seen!"

"Have you looked in a mirror lately?" She said, gesturing to him. She furrowed her brows. "Did...did you get a chromed finish?"

"Well..."

"Oh my, you did! You got this upgrade on Cosmo's dime so you got a chromed finish!" She laughed loudly. "Talk about a vanity project!"

"Hey! We're in SHOW BUSINESS!" He protested. "Appearances mean a lot! I would have gone for the gold finish but it was a little too gaudy."

"Well, my upgrade may not be as flashy as yours, but rest assured it will give Drillion all the power he will need to bring down the Rangers for good." She told him, looking to a tube in the wall, where Drillion was floating in a regenerative solution in an induced coma. His body was repairing itself much faster in there than it would normally. "I should be ready to implant his new weapon tomorrow, that'll give him a day or two to get used to it. By the time Friday comes around, the Rangers will be facing a sequel none of them will survive!"

Down on Earth, in the Ranger Base, the team was assembled. Normally they met a little while before school to train, but today they had an entirely different project to work on. Hayley stepped away, observing her handiwork as the others looked on sceptically.

"Hayls, I love you, but I have to say, of all the ideas you've had, this is probably the worst." Calvin stated.

"Oh come on Calvin, the last person we brought into the school was..."

"Aiden." Levi reminded her. Hayley just nodded.

"OK, so...that didn't work out so well, but...we brought Mick into the school and that seemed to work out."

"I'm not sure Hayley; I think I might just be with Calvin on this one." Preston replied, sucking his teeth. "I'm not sure about this."

"What's the problem?" Viera asked as she gestured to herself. She was wearing black denims and a green t-shirt, with the San Diego Comicon logo across the front of it. Her hair had been plaited into a couple of plaits, and then tied up at the back. She had green streaks in her hair. "Do I look alright?"

"You look fine Viera." Sarah told her. "Now, let's see if you remember. If anyone asks, you're..."

"Your cousin Viera from Spurgeon India..."

"Indiana!" Brody corrected her. "There's a bit of a difference between Indiana and India."

"Is there?" Viera asked him.

"Only a few thousand miles." Preston teased her. Sarah looked to him, before turning back to Viera.

"Alright, so you are..."

"I'm your cousin Viera, I come from Spurgeon Indiana." Viera answered. "I'm here on an exchange program."

"Is Mrs Finch going to be convinced by that?" Brody asked. "I mean, if Principal Hastings was back..."

"You leave that to me." Levi answered, taking the forged paperwork from Sarah. "That was quick, I thought Dr Morgan..."

"It's...mine actually. I took a look at the stuff she's done. I'm kind of a quick study." Sarah admitted. "I'm a little worried how easy it was actually."

"Alright, so remember, if anyone asks, you know what to say." Hayley briefed Viera. "If they ask follow-up questions, just be vague. Don't be too specific. We chose Spurgeon because it's only got a population of about 203 people. The odds of anyone from here being from Spurgeon or knowing someone from Spurgeon are pretty remote. They probably won't know enough about the place to be able to call you out on any details but that doesn't mean we should push our luck."

"OK, I'm going on record one more time as saying I think this is a terrible idea!" Calvin stated. "No offence Hayley."

"None taken." She sighed. "At least I don't get freaked out by a little nightmare."

"You were frightened by a nightmare?" Preston asked him. Calvin just nodded.

"I must have had something in the back of my mind because of all those student body election posters all over the school." Calvin told him. "I dreamt that Victor was the President."

"He IS the President." Sarah reminded him.

"No, I mean THE President! You know, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue?" Calvin said with a shudder. "Man it still freaks me out to think of it."

"He couldn't be much worse than the guy that's already there." Preston answered with a shrug.

"Calvin woke up screaming." Hayley informed them. The team all just stared at her. "What?"

"And what were you doing with Calvin while he was sleeping, hmmmmm?" Sarah asked her, resting her chin on her hand. Everyone just stared at her, waiting on an answer. Hayley just rolled her eyes.

"Oh for goodness sake, get your minds out of the gutter! Calvin was having a nap in the workshop after tuning up Nitro. I just happened to be there!" She protested. "God, why do people hear something like that from a couple and automatically assume they're sleeping together?"*

"Well on that note, we have chemistry first period." Preston stated, hopping off his stool. "Come on Viera, you're about to be introduced to the wonderful world of High School."

Up in the Warrior Dome, Wrench was sitting on a chair, with a table right next to him with some objects on it. He had given up trying to work everything at once and was trying now to get used to his new body a little at a time, in this instance working on touch. He had objects varying from steel bars all the way down to crystal glasses all so that he could practice gripping them without damaging them. He groaned as a coconut, which was his latest trial, shattered in his hand, spraying milk all over him.

"Well, if the bar need someone to chunk fruit..."

"Oh, don't you start up again!" Wrench grumbled. "I swear, if I see that Lord Drakkon again..."

"You'll end up as spare parts AGAIN no doubt." Madame Odious interrupted him. "There, the new weapon is finished, and by the looks of things in good time too. I'd say that Lord Drillion is sufficiently healed that he'll probably survive the surgery."

"Should?" Wrench asked. "Probably? That's some scientific method you have there!"

"Well, if he does expire, we'll have the chance to really test the limits of that new body of yours." She commented as she drained the tube, and some Kudabots took Drillion from it, laying him on her surgical table. "Just treat the Rangers like coconuts and you should be fine."

"Oh ha, ha, you're about as good at comedy as you are at science!" Wrench replied, returning his attention to his task, taking another coconut. "Now, just a little softer this time and...DAMMIT!"

Back on Earth, the Rangers and Viera got to their first class of the day, the Chemistry class. The school currently only had one science teacher, since like many, most of the department had run for the hills as fast as they could when the monsters started showing up. Fortunately, the current science teacher, Dr Williams, was so settled in Sumer Cove, the thought of leaving was laughable. He was in his mid sixties and looking at retirement in a few years. He had been one of the few people who had lived in Summer Cove virtually his whole life, and was involved with many special interest groups in the city.

He was now completely bald, and was quite tall and thin, with a long nose that made him look something like a vulture all things considered, which was completely the reverse of his calm, patient and generous nature. The team all sat at one bench.

"This is your lab?" Viera asked, looking around. To her, it was rather crude, but then it was relatively Spartan, being a basic High School lab. Between typical public school funding and the fact the faculty really didn't want the student having access to anything too dangerous, the supplies and the chemicals were pretty elementary.

"Yeah, well...welcome to the public school system." Sarah told her. "You'll get taught here, but they won't let us handle anything too dangerous in case the parents get upset."

"I suppose parents aren't happy when their young get hurt where I come from." Viera conceded. "I suppose the school doesn't want some angry parent coming in and removing the teacher's legs..."

"Yeah...here it's more likely the school will get sued." Preston said, having to remind himself how different her home was. Victor and Monty came into the class, Monty walking just a short way in front of Victor as he surveyed some stuff in front of him.

"I don't know about this new schedule Monty, are you sure about this?" Victor asked.

"Victor if you're going to run for re-election AND win the tennis trophy back, some sacrifices need to be made." Monty told him.

"But this has me sleeping like five hours a night!" Victor complained.

"Well YOU were the one that insisted on three fake-tan sessions a week for your Presidential photographs." Monty reminded him. He suddenly stopped short as he saw her. His Goddess, his mystery woman was sitting right here in his own classroom! He could hear beautiful music, and his vision started to go misty as he let out a low sigh. Victor bumped into him, dropping his schedules all over the floor.

"What gives Monty?" He demanded. Monty just pointed.

"She's...she's...she's here!" He whimpered as he looked at her. Victor just smiled as he gathered his schedules.

"Well well, it looks like the fates are smiling on you after all Monty my good man." Victor answered. "I wonder what she's doing with those guys."

"She's talking to Sarah; it looks like she knows her!" Monty said, bouncing on the spot giddily. There was a cough from the desk at the front. They looked up at Dr Williams.

"If you would be so kind gentlemen?" He asked, pointing to their desk. Victor and Monty went to their work station as Dr Williams checked his schedule. "Now, let's see, where were we, where were we...ah, that's right, we were going to complete our work on hydrocarbons today, but first, there's a little announcement. We have a new face in our class today. Young lady, would you like to stand up and tell us a little about yourself?"

Viera stood up as Sarah nudged her. She looked around the class a little hesitantly.

"My name is Viera. I'm Sarah's cousin, I come from Spurgeon Indiana." She told them.

"Oh! A fellow Spurgeonite! How delightful! I don't see many of us heading this far out!" He declared. The whole team looked to Sarah, who froze up and shrugged. This was not part of the plan!

Over at their table, Monty sighed.

"Viera..." He sighed contentedly, resting his cheek on his hand as he looked to her. "...a name as beautiful as she is!"

Victor waved a hand in front of his face, but Monty didn't seem to take much notice. Back at the table, Viera was still staring at Dr Williams.

"Well, go on girl!" He beckoned her. Viera just looked confused.

"I...I don't understand." She responded.

"I told you to tell us about yourself! Who are you? What do you like? Tell us something interesting about yourself!" He pressed on. Viera just started to stammer.

"Please, just not anything too interesting!" Hayley whispered quietly. Viera continued to struggle to think of something to say.

"Well, how about Spurgeon, no one here's been out that way, what was your favourite part about Spurgeon?" He asked her. Viera just shrugged her shoulders.

"The...road leaving it?" She offered, raising a laugh from the class. The room fell silent for a moment as they awaited Dr Williams' response. It felt like days before he suddenly let out a loud laugh.

"Oh, I know exactly what you're talking about! I couldn't wait to go to college and get out of there! Never been back! Don't regret it one jot!" He chuckled. "Alright class, open your textbooks and gather the pieces for today's experiment. Perhaps my fellow Spurgeonite would like to assist me with the demonstration."

The Rangers breathed a sigh of relief as Viera went to the front of the class to join Dr Williams. Over at their table, Victor nudged Monty.

"Monty, Earth to Monty!" He stated.

"I have no idea where Spurgeon is, but it must be heaven!" Monty sighed. Victor whipped Monty's hand out from under his face, snapping his attention back to reality.

"Monty, please TRY to concentrate!" Victor told him. "I'd very much like to keep my fingers."

"She is amazing isn't she?" Monty commented. Victor just smiled.

"Well, at least now you have a name." Victor answered. "Maybe the next step is you can actually tell her yours."

Back on the Warrior Dome, Madame Odious was working on her patient, hooking up her new weapon to Drillion's arm. Wrench was in the corner, working on some of his own systems.

"Amateurs!" He muttered. "I wouldn't trust these hacks to re-wire a toaster, never mind me!"

"Would you please stop complaining?" Madame Odious snapped at him. "I am trying to work here!"

"Maybe I wouldn't need to be doing this if you had just..." He paused as he heard a groan coming from the table. He looked to her in alarm. "Is he conscious?"

"Sort of." Madame Odious responded, pulling a blood-stained tool out of the wound, directing a kudabot with a clamp. "Pinch down on that would you? I need to suture that."

He watched on in horror as she ripped a significant portion of circuitry out of his arm. She picked up the replacement, along with a small drill. Wrench winced as he heard the grinding of the tool against bone.

"Alright, this all looks to be going well." She said as she continued to look. "Hmm...that is bleeding a little faster than I thought, perhaps I should suture now. Pass the needle."

Wrench was thankful he didn't have a stomach anymore. He was sure that if he did, he would be losing its contents right about now. Madame Odious finished stitching and went back to her work on the bionics.

"Alright, I just need to hook this directly into his nervous system now." She stated, beginning to get to work. Drillion bucked a little on the table, barely restrained by the straps holding him down, and letting out noises that made it clear he was conscious, if still heavily sedated. If he wasn't, Wrench was sure they'd be able to hear him anywhere on the ship. Madame Odious smiled as she put down her tools. "There, that should do it. Now, close up his incision and put him back in the regeneration tube to heal."

She looked to Wrench, who was just staring at her.

"Well, I have a little time now." She told him. "Would you like me to have a look at your new systems?"

"I...think I'll take my chances." Wrench answered as he returned to work.

 **A/N:** Yes, the passage marked with a * IS a direct reference to a panel in the Shattered Grid annual. It was a thought I had when I saw the reaction to that exchange between Hayley and Calvin. It just amused me as a thought.


	13. Reluctant Help

Mick was in the Ranger Base, working on the Ninja Stars, though he wasn't quite as enthusiastic about his latest task as he had been with all the others. Not only was he working on the last reserves of Ninja Steel they had left, meaning they could ill afford to waste any, but the Rangers had determined that he help Viera by creating a Zord Star, turning her ship into a Zord to get her back to her home in the Lion Galaxy.

Mick had listened to the team, and they had unanimously voted to help Viera. She had helped them in their time of need, and since they were the ones the Nexus Prism had chosen to wield its power, he had determined he wasn't really in much of a position to go against their wishes. That didn't stop him having his own resentments though.

The King had sold 100 of his own citizens to Cosmo for favourable treatment and access to his entertainment. To the King, it was a commodity to trade but for Mick, it had been why he didn't know if his family was still alive. Over twenty years, Mick had watched as those that had been sold with him dropped off. Some had succumbed to sickness, others were unable to live in the harsh conditions of the ship. Some had ended their own suffering when it all became too much to bear. Until Brody came and Mick had someone who relied on him, there were times he had considered that end too. Ultimately, of the 100 that were sold, Mick was the last one.

Logically, he knew that Viera had nothing to do with his plight. She hadn't even been born when he was sold, but that didn't mean that resentment was always logical. He still couldn't see the Royal Crest without remembering the day the guards came to take his father away. He could remember his mother's tears as they ripped him from her arms. It was burned into his mind, as the only thing he could see as he fell to his knees and begged them to leave his father and take him instead. He had been answered with an armoured fist right to the face, but since when he woke up he was on the Warrior Dome and his father was not, he could only presume they had accepted his terms.

To think that he was helping the family of the man that had sent him far from his home was sickening to him. To think that he was working to return his heir home to try and prevent the Lion Galaxy falling to all-out civil war was something that troubled him greatly, but in the end, the Rangers had taken Viera at her word that she was going to try and lead the Lion Galaxy in a new, more compassionate way. Mick wished he could have the same faith in her that the Rangers did. In the end though, the team had the consensus, and so he was working to give a Zord to the family that had taken his freedom.

"Alright, here we go." Mick said, putting down his grinder, looking to his completed work. He put it down, next to another, inspecting them both. "There they are, the last two Ninja Stars we can make. That's all the Ninja Steel we have left."

"It seemed like we had so much before." Redbot commented. Mick just sighed and looked to one of the stars as he thought about it. Not so long ago, it seemed like there was so much Ninja Steel. They had worked it tirelessly, creating an arsenal for the team. Any time they opened the trophy, they had been greeted by that bright purple glow that indicated the power they had at their disposal, but as time went by there was less and less, until now when there were only two stars left. Mick had no idea if there were any other Ninja Steel reserves in the universe. Logic dictated that there likely was, it had to have come from somewhere, but for all they knew what they had could be all there was in the universe, or perhaps it existed on a planet on the opposite side of the universe. Whatever the case, it wasn't as though they had the time or the means to go looking for more. Pretty soon they were going to have to start making hard choices as to which weapons were no longer fit for purpose and melt them down for new and more powerful ones.

"Yeah, we're going to have to make some hard choices pretty soon." Mick replied, taking aim at the Nexus Prism. "Look on the bright side though, the sooner we do this, the sooner we can…GAAAAHHH!"

He threw the Ninja Star, but instead of going into the Nexus Prism, it rebounded off it, flying back and lodging itself in his leg. Redbot came over as Mick yanked it out, hopping over to the work bench.

"Mick, are you alright?" He asked.

"I'll be fine." Mick told him.

"That wound looks…"

"I'm a shape-shifter, just…give me a few minutes and I'll be able to close it myself." Mick answered him. Redbot just looked to the Nexus Prism.

"So, what happened?" Redbot asked. "Why didn't it make the Zord Star? It looked like the Nexus Prism wanted us to work on the Lion Ship!"

"I don't know, but if I was to guess, either the Nexus Prism has other plans," Mick responded, clamping his hand over the wound to hold it until he was able to will the wound closed, "or the Nexus Prism has a seriously wicked sense of humour!"

Elsewhere in the school, Viera had a look of horror on her face as the team led her to her latest destination.

"Well, this is the canteen." Brody said, panning his hand around the room. "This is where the students come to hang out, get something to eat and…"

"People actually…EAT here?" Viera asked as she looked on in disgust. This was not at all what she was used to. She'd accepted that her time on Earth was going to be very different than her home. There was no palace, she had spent the night sleeping in a hammock in the workshop. The school was nothing like the private tutors she had in the palace, but at least she was hoping that there would be some kind of refinement in the eating arrangements. The canteen in Summer Cove high though was more akin to a cross between a mosh pit and a soccer riot as kids clamoured to the tables to get a good place to sit and eat.

"It's not exactly high dining, but it's edible most of the time." Calvin replied with a shrug.

"Out of the way pinhead!" Someone called out as he rushed through to get to the bathrooms.

"BITE ME!" Someone else shouted as he knocked his drink over. Preston just sighed.

"Besides, you have to admire the high-brow conversation." He commented. Viera just nodded without saying anything else. Hayley took her to the counter to pick out what she wanted to eat. Very quickly Viera found the term 'wanted' to be highly subjective. There was some kind of yellow, lumpy stodge, next to a kind of brown, lumpy sludge with orange bits floating in it, next to some round things wrapped in greaseproof paper, meaning that it was kind of a 'try your luck' what was inside if you bought it. The smells coming over the counter mingled into a strange miasma that while not necessarily unpleasant, certainly did dominate the senses. Meat, pasta, vegetables, sweets, all mingled into a single aroma that smacked her in the face as she approached.

"What do you want?" The server asked. Viera just stared blankly at her. "What do you want?"

"What do you have?" Viera asked. The server just sighed.

"Are you blind?" She asked, in complete violation of any kind of political correctness, as well as several State and Federal statutes. "Take a look!"

"She'll have the macaroni." Calvin chipped in, leaning over to Viera. "It's the safest option if you don't know what you like."

The server stuck a ladle into the yellow stuff, pulling out a scoop and dumping it on a plate, before putting it on Viera's tray. It didn't escape her notice or inspire much confidence that it perfectly held the domed shape of the ladle, or that the macaroni remaining in the tray retained the shape that had been pulled from it. Viera went down the line, with Calvin and Hayley helping her by putting a juice box onto the tray and taking her to the register. The kid behind there rang up her total.

"That'll be three dollars." He told her. The school operated a system of severely subsidising all meals so that some of the kids from less well-off families could have a good meal. Viera still recoiled a little though. She looked to him.

"I have to PAY for this?" She asked. Hayley quickly interjected with her charge card. So that kids didn't have to carry cash to the school, and to avoid the embarrassment of being unable to pay, the school operated a charge card system which allowed them to pay the office directly at the end of the month.

"She's new here, the office hasn't issued her charge card yet." Hayley told him. "Just ring up both of them on mine."

The kid ran the card through the card reader at which Hayley started to lead her back towards the tables. Sarah, Preston and Brody had gone to secure them a table while the others got lunch so they didn't have to risk sitting with their trays on their knees.

"Alright, good you're back. I'm starving!" Sarah said, grabbing Preston's hand and leading him up to the queue. Brody followed on a little behind.

"So, I'll bet this is a little different than what you're used to." Calvin said.

"That's an understatement." She responded, poking at the dish with a fork, though it still managed to hold its shape. "What is this exactly?"

"It's macaroni, it's a type of pasta served with a cheese sauce." Hayley told her. Viera just stared blankly at her. "You don't have macaroni?"

"What's pasta?" She asked.

"It's a mix of flour and water." Calvin mumbled through his first mouthful, gulping it down. "They serve it with a cheese sauce."

"And people eat this…by CHOICE?" She asked.

"Hey, it's not as bad as it sounds!" Hayley stated. "Give it a try."

Viera put her fork into the dish, pulling out a small amount and put it into her mouth. She held it there for a little while, hoping for it to taste of something, anything at all! When she finally realised it wasn't coming, she swallowed it, washing out her mouth with her juice. She shoved her tray away from herself.

"You don't like it?" Hayley asked.

"I'd need to be able to taste it to tell if I liked it or not!" She stated, looking around. She started to leave the table.

"Where are you going?" Hayley asked.

"To find something edible to eat!" Viera called back.

"Good luck with that!" Calvin chuckled, earning himself a kick in the shin under the table from Hayley. "What?"

"We're meant to be keeping an eye on her." Hayley reminded him.

"Come on Hayley, what kind of trouble could she get into here?" He asked. Hayley just pointed to him.

"I'll remind you that you said that." Hayley warned him. Preston and Sarah arrived back, giggling at some shared joke as they sat with each other at the other side of the table.

"Hey, where's Viera?" Sarah asked.

"She didn't like the food." Hayley told her. "She went to find something else to eat."

"Oh…alright." Sarah replied, craning her neck to see where Viera was. "I guess we can still see her from here."

"Thank you!" Calvin stated, before going back to his meal. "Hey, the macaroni isn't bad today."

In another part of the city, Principal Hastings was in her living room, performing some exercises. She had always liked to keep healthy, even before her attack, but since then, and since being told that she needed to recuperate before she would be listed as healthy enough to return to work, while others would be resting up on the couch, perhaps catching up on that book they hadn't gotten around to reading to the end or binge-watching that TV series their friend recommended, Jennifer Hastings was more intent on working a rigorous routine of yoga to make sure that weeks being locked up in her own basement would not break her and prevent her returning to her post as soon as possible.

She heard a beep and looked towards the kitchen, smiling. Her diet had been one thing that had definitely improved. When Madame Odious had kidnapped her, locking her up to keep her around so that she could keep her informed of things she needed to know to pull off her ruse of replacing her, she hadn't really cared too much about her diet. In fact, in the time she had been there, she had been forced to subsist on a diet of dog food that had been blended down into a horrific smoothie. When she was strong enough to eat solid food, she had been craving eating real food again, and not just the usual things that people would miss after a while like tacos, pizza or burgers, but even the sublime like a good, well-dressed salad. It was a little difficult at first not to just go on a binge and satisfy all these cravings at once, but she was definitely grateful to be able to choose what she wanted to eat once more.

She finished off the last of her stretches, before rolling back onto her shoulders, pulling her knees back to her ears and throwing her feet forward, kipping up to her feet. She did stumble a little, but it was much better than her previous attempts across the time since she had signed herself out of hospital, indicating that she was getting a lot better. Grabbing her towel, she wrapped her towel around her neck, mopping off her brow as she headed into the kitchen, opening the microwave. She took a long, deep sniff of the dish as she pulled it out.

"Tuna casserole never smelled this good." She commented to herself. Just then, she heard the doorbell. She rolled her eyes. "Every bloody time."

She put the casserole aside, heading from the front door. She pressed the button on the screen by the door that accessed the exterior camera. She lived in a gated community with some of the richest people in the city, and security was taken very seriously. She saw one of the private security guards standing outside her door with Mick. She opened the door, smiling as she saw Mick standing on her doorstep.

"Mrs Hastings, this man said he came to see you." The guard stated. "He isn't on our list, he says his name is…"

"Of course, he's welcome, this is the man that released me." She told him. "Come on in Mick."

The security guard gestured him inside, then left to return to his post. Mick watched him go.

"Wow, they take their jobs seriously around here." He commented. "That's some pretty tight security."

"Yeah, maybe if they were a little tighter I wouldn't have spent nearly two months chained up like an animal in my own basement." She answered as she let him in. "Come on through to the kitchen. I've just made tuna casserole."

"Oh…I didn't think, if you're just about to eat I can come back…"

"No, it's alright, I know I've made far too much." She sniggered. "Besides, if you leave now, rent-a-cop will probably forget you're actually allowed to come to the house again and bring out the rubber gloves."

"I have no idea what that means, but it doesn't sound very pleasant." Mick acknowledged, before following her through to the kitchen. Jennifer got a plate out of the cupboard, scraping some of the casserole from the main dish onto it and handing it to Mick. She took a spoon and stood at the counter, beginning to eat.

"You look good." Mick complimented her as she ate. She just chuckled.

"What? I look good after a couple of hours' yoga before I've showered eating tuna casserole straight out of the dish?" He asked her. "You're either blind or very sweet."

"I guess I'll take the former." Mick answered, taking a knife and fork out of the drawer. "So, how are you feeling?"

"Stir-crazy, bored, frustrated." She rhymed off. "I just need that doctors' certificate which I'm really hoping I get tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Mick asked. She just shrugged.

"It's the benefit of having a great doctor and a lot of time on my hands to exercise." She told him. "All going well, I should be back Monday. I'm sure Mrs Finch will be happy to hear that."

"As long as you're not rushing back." Mick answered.

"Oh, I'm rushing back alright." She told him. "As nice as this house is, I really want to get back to work."

"This isn't for our benefit is it?" Mick asked her. Jennifer just looked to him curiously. "I know it'd be handy having someone that knows about us in the office, but I don't want you to risk your health."

"It's not for your benefit, it's for mine." She assured him. "Now, either my cooking really is bad or you didn't come here for a little small-talk."

"I don't follow." Mick answered.

"You're barely touching your lunch." She pointed out. Mick was just kind of pushing it around for the most part. The casserole was nice enough, but he wasn't really feeling too much like eating. The Viera situation was playing on his mind. He took a deep breath.

"Jennifer, have you ever had to help someone even though you weren't sure you should or…you really didn't want to?" He asked her. She just laughed.

"I'm in education, what do you think?" She answered. She could see that Mick wasn't joking. She picked up her dish. "Tell you what, how about we go to the dining room and make ourselves a little more comfortable before we discuss this."

"Dining room?" He asked as they headed out. "How big is this place?"


	14. Viera's First Day

At the school, Monty was finding a quiet place to have his lunch. Victor was still sore about his near-miss at getting fifty trophies, and the fact that very soon he would have to run for re-election. While Monty did care about his friend dearly, to hear him whining about his trophies so much was starting to get a little wearing and so he had to make his excuses and leave Victor to go work off some steam and figure out how he was going to get himself on top once again.

Despite his irritation, Monty still only felt confident enough to eat lunch in the canteen whenever Victor was with him. By himself, he had to look for somewhere he could be by himself. It was for the best anyway, it wasn't as though he had the largest circle of friends.

"I wonder what mom packed for me today." He mused, pulling out his lunch box and beginning to take a look. He smiled as he realised he had some pretty good eats on this occasion. Tuna with red cabbage coleslaw, some steamed cauliflower and best of all…a big slab of his mom's home-made pumpkin bread!

"Score!" He declared, pulling it out. "Today is really looking up!"

He bumped into someone, and as he looked up from his lunch, he saw a chest…a muscular chest, wearing a white t-shirt and leather jacket! He gulped as he looked up, confirming his fear. It was Ace.

"Hey there Monty!" Ace greeted him with a little smirk. "It's been a while since we had a chat!"

Monty was about to turn and run, but two of Ace's friends were directly behind him. They grabbed the tiny student and turned him to face the bully.

"Now why would you try and leave without saying goodbye? Things like that hurt my feelings!" He commented. "Almost as much as all those mean things you said to me at the food court when my cousin was with you."

"Ace…I…um…" Ace snatched his pumpkin bread away and threw it down the hall.

"Save it!" Ace snapped in response. "You were real brave when Victor was around, what's changed?"

"Well…for one thing there are three of you…"

"Let's put him in the trash!" Ace stated, looking to his friends, who took Monty tightly from each side and picked him up. They laughed as Monty squealed and kicked, trying to get away as they carried him towards a trash can. They were about to dump him in, when Ace felt something hit the back of his head. He reached up, finding crumbs in his hair. He looked to the floor seeing pumpkin bread.

"Alright, whoever did that just bought themselves a whole world of pain!" He announced, turning around to see Viera standing down the hall, holding the remainder of the pumpkin bread.

"You there! Let him go!" She demanded regally. In her search for something to eat, she had seen the assault. Ace looked to her and scoffed.

"This is nothing to do with you babe!" He said disrespectfully as he looked back to Monty. "You still have a date with…HEY!"

Ace and his friends were astounded as Viera got in between them and grabbed Monty's legs, yanking him down to the floor with surprising strength. She just looked to the bigger kids defiantly.

"You will NOT harm him!" She commanded. Ace stood over her, looking down on her.

"You know, you're lucky you're a girl. If you were a guy you'd be collecting your teeth." Ace told her, before looking her up and down. "Then again, you are kind of a babe. You new around here? Maybe you'd like to get aaaaaaaaggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

He screamed as Viera grabbed his fingers as he reached for her and snapped them. He stared at her in amazement as he clutched his throbbing fingers.

"I am not a 'babe'!" She snapped at him. "Now leave before I break the rest of them!"

Ace took a swing for her, incensed that a girl would treat him like that. He didn't count on the fact that his intended victim had been trained to defend herself against potential political kidnappings and assassination attempts by some of the deadliest creatures in the Lion Galaxy since she could walk. He ended up taking a face-first dive straight into the trash can himself.

"Hey, you can't do that to Ace!" One of the others called out, coming right at her. Viera shoved Monty into a corner while she fended off her attackers. Monty could only watch in awe as his saviour once again leapt to his aid. She defeated both of them with very little effort, leaving them laying, before turning her attention back to the trash can where Ace's legs were still kicking in the air, trying to topple it to escape. He pulled it over, before yanking it out and stomping on his chest, glaring down at him.

"I don't care what your problem with him is, it's over now." Viera stated. "I will NOT have this conversation again! Understand?"

Ace nodded, before getting up and running off with his buddies. Viera looked to Monty, who was still cowering in the corner. She offered him a hand.

"Are you alright?" She asked him. Monty stared at her, misty-eyed, with a goofy grin on his face.

"You're…you're amazing!" He said dreamily. Viera smiled a little hearing this.

"Well, you seem alright now." She responded. "I should probably be going."

"WAIT!" Monty called after her. "I…I want to thank you!"

"Thank me?" Viera asked.

"For your help!" He clarified. "My name's Monty."

"Viera." She replied. "I should really be going, I was just looking for…"

She tailed off as she started sniffing the air. Monty wondered what she was doing.

"What is that delicious smell?" She asked him. He looked a little stunned.

"That's…that's my lunch!" He told her, pulling out his lunch box. "Would you like…oh, OK!"

He didn't get a chance to invite Viera to take it, before she had taken the box from his hands and grabbed one of his sandwiches, beginning to devour it.

"I think you might prefer the pumpkin…"

"What IS this?" She shrieked in delight. "This is delicious!"

"Really?" He asked. "Well, you can take it if you like…"

"Thank you!" Viera replied, grabbing the rest of the sandwiches and handing him back the box, before walking away. Monty watched her go and sighed.

"She's beautiful AND likes my mom's food?" He said as his thoughts drifted away. "She really is perfect!"

In another part of town, Mick was sitting in Principal Hastings' dining room, relaying to her the most recent events of the team. It was a little odd to talk about Ranger related business to anyone outside the team. He assumed that Levi would occasionally let his adoptive brother Tom in on a few things, and he knew that Sarah had a pretty extensive network of friends in Amber Beach who knew about her activities, but in general it was just habit that no one talked to anyone outside the team. Preston likened it to the Magic Circle, which he had explained to Mick was a society that magicians would join by invitation who took an oath to share secrets of their tricks, but only with other members in an effort to protect their craft by limiting the chances anyone who wasn't a magician would learn the secrets behind their tricks. That said, it did mean that he was a little limited in his discussion since the only other people he could talk about his thoughts with were already on the team and so had already made up their minds on most of the issues.

Jennifer, Principal Hastings to the students, listened as Mick told her all about Viera and her family. He told her about being ripped from his home and his family to be sold like second-hand furniture. He told her about his years as a slave on the ship, of watching a veritable revolving door of slaves enter the ship and leave as corpses, including many good friends. As he finished his story, she was finally able to take a breath. Being in education, she had heard a lot of stories, mostly from history books, but sadly also more than a few from her own students, but she had never met anyone who had actually been sold into slavery on the orders of a despot.

"Wow." She breathed as she heard him complete his story. It was pretty much the only thing she could think of to say, as lame as it sounded coming out of her mouth.

"I…I hate feeling like this." Mick admitted. "This isn't like me. This anger, this hatred, it's been a part of me for 20 years, but I've always tried to still be me."

He took a sip of his drink, looking to her.

"I always try to be a good person, but when I see that crest, when I see her, all I can think about is her family and what they've done." He admitted. "She's come to me for help, and the only thing I can think is what if she uses what we give her to be just as bad as her dad? What if she uses it to be even worse?"

"I can't say I blame you after everything you've been through." Jennifer answered, thinking about it. "I mean, that is the risk you're going to take helping her get a weapon back online."

"That's exactly how I feel. Plus, we only have a small amount of Ninja Steel left, only two stars!" He told her. "How can we afford to give one up for her when we can't be sure what she's going to do with it?"

"Mick, I know this might seem like a strange question, but…have you heard of Hitler?" Jennifer asked him. He just gave her a somewhat withering look.

"I may be an alien, but of course I know who Adolf Hitler was." He responded. "I did a bit of research on Earth so I wouldn't stand out…well…too much. You really can't look into Earth's history without hearing about him."

"I was actually meaning William Patrick Hitler. Well, until he changed his surname to Stuart-Houston." She continued. Mick just shrugged his shoulders. "Well, he actually served in the United States Navy during World War II. He ended up fighting against his Uncle's regime. He won a Purple Heart too." *

"He served in the US Navy?" Mick asked her. She nodded.

"He's not as well-known as his uncle obviously, but just because he was related to him didn't mean he was like him, and his actions proved that." She stated, picking up her coffee and taking a long sip. "Sometimes people aren't much like their relatives at all.

Mick just nodded as he saw the point she was making.

"I can't tell you for a fact what this Viera is like, or what she'll do with that ship of hers. The only thing I can tell you is I always try to live my life by one rule."

"What's that?" Mick asked her.

"I always respect everyone, right up until the time their actions prove to me they don't deserve it." She told him. "And while occasionally it might cost me, I like to think that for most people, giving them a chance goes a long way to getting to see the best of them."

"Thanks for this." Mick answered. "It's been great being able to talk."

"Any time." She replied. "Say, do you have class this afternoon?"

"No, I'm free for the rest of the day." He answered. "Why?"

"Because if you need to relax a little I have a great pool." She told him with a smile as she went to get changed. Mick just scratched his head.

"You have a pool too?" He asked her. "Seriously, how the hell did you afford this place?"

"Oh, that's a story for another day." She replied.

Back at the school, Sarah was getting her books out of her locker for her last couple of periods of the day when Preston came over behind her, tapping her on her shoulder. He tried to do the old joke of tapping her on the opposite shoulder to get her to turn the opposite way, but she turned towards him instead, smiling.

"You're learning." He commented. This was a deliberate thing. As his assistant for his magic shows, he had explained to her that focus and being able to figure out where her focus needed to be were very important. Even when things went right, a stage in a magic show had a lot of distractions. The audience, special effects, pyrotechnics, mist and lights. All of them could be highly distracting which could affect the proper execution of a trick. Often it would just mean that it took the audience out of the illusion and out of the suspension of disbelief if someone missed a cue or forgot where they were in the process of a trick, but sometimes if someone wasn't where they were meant to be, it could be extremely dangerous, and Preston was becoming a lot more adventurous and ambitious with his tricks. He had just ordered a whole host of new escapology props and hanging upside down in a sealed water tank was not an ideal place to be if the assistant forgot to take the safety pins out of the hinges to allow the escape.

"It's pretty hard not to when you do the same trick every time." She teased him. He just smiled as he came a little closer.

"So, there's a signing at the comic book store tomorrow night." He informed her. "I just thought, it's been a while, it might be about time for a second date."

"Second date huh?" Sarah asked, moving a little closer, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I like the sound of that."

"I was thinking once we go and get something to eat. Not that snooty French place I promise. Calvin recommended some burrito place." Preston told her.

"Burritos? You know what I like!" She said with a smile as her phone started to ring. She pulled it out, seeing that it was her mom on the other end. "Hold that thought. Hey mom, what's happening?"

Sarah listened to the conversation on the other end as Preston waited patiently. She just looked to her.

"Really? You're serious? Dad's coming home? That's great!" She screamed. She leapt at Preston, hugging him in her moment of excitement. She was confident he would still be a long way from a hundred percent, but the fact that he was being allowed to return home to continue his recovery was a good indication that they were confident in his strength. With Mr Tien's deep pockets paying for his care, and the fact that he had in the interim been helping a lot of the staff with their finances, they weren't exactly in a rush to kick him out the door like someone with limited insurance. Preston was only too glad to return the hug. He knew that as much as it hadn't been her fault, Sarah did feel guilty about the fact her dad was injured in one of her Ranger battles. Having him come home had to be an incredible weight off her mind. "When?"

Her face slipped a little as she heard the answer.

"Tomorrow night?" She asked. She looked to Preston regretfully. She knew he was looking forward to their date, but her dad coming home was a pretty big deal. He just gestured to her that it was alright. "Well, I was going to go somewhere with Preston, but yeah, I'll be there…wait…what?"

"What?" Preston mouthed as she looked to him again. Sarah put her hand over the mouth piece.

"Mom just suggested I invite you to the house." She informed him. Sarah knew her mom was delighted with the amount of time she had been spending with Preston and had been hinting and pushing for them to become a couple for weeks before Preston had plucked up the courage to ask her out. Her mom was a bit of a hopeless romantic, and Sarah was starting to think their most enthusiastic shipper. Preston looked a little nervous but nodded and gestured to her to go ahead.

"It's fine, tell her it's fine." Preston told her. Sarah just went back to the phone call.

"Yeah, mom? Preston says that fine, he'll be there." Sarah answered. "He wants to know if he should bring anything…just himself you say? OK, I'll tell him. That's great news! OK, I love you!"

She hung up and hugged Preston again tightly. He was only too happy to respond. Calvin and Hayley came over, smiling brightly.

"Aw, isn't that cute!" Hayley responded. "Do you remember when we were at that stage?"

"Uh, Hayley? You've only been going out three years." Sarah reminded them. "You still are at 'that stage'."

"How cute, young couples who think they have everything figured out." Calvin replied, pulling Hayley in closer. "They'll learn."

"Hey guys." Brody said as he came up to them. "I was just reviewing some of the footage from our last battle. I think I came up with a great training routine for us today."

"That's good, because I don't fancy getting my ass stomped like that again." Levi answered as he arrived. "I managed to slip Viera's forms into Mrs Finch's paperwork today, so we shouldn't have any problems while she's here."

"Well, that's one thing." Hayley mused. "It's difficult enough when we had that little snafu with Dr Williams."

"How was I to know he was from Spurgeon?" Sarah asked.

"Where did you first hear of Spurgeon?" Brody asked her.

"Oh." She responded sheepishly. "Oops."

"You know, people pick things up through just being around it they don't realise." Brody replied with a shrug. "That's probably how I always thought dad's song was actually his."

"What's this about your dad's song?" Levi asked.

"Oh, it turns out it was actually a song your brother sang." Brody told him. "I guess dad liked it and sang it for me and my brother."

"I can't believe you thought one of Tom's songs was your dad's." Levi chuckled. "You do know he only did cover versions, right?"

"WHAT?" Sarah called out. "And after always calling Brody a plagiarist? That cheeky son of a bitch!"

"Uh…guys? Is anyone else noticing that Viera's missing?" Calvin asked. They all looked around, realising he was right.

"Wait, I thought you guys went to find her." Hayley said, pointing to Preston and Sarah.

"We thought you did!" Preston protested.

"So, you mean an alien with only a day's experience on Earth is running around unsupervised?" Sarah gulped as she started to flail nervously. "Oh, this isn't good, this isn't good, Mick is so going to kill us!"

"VIERA!" Hayley called out as she saw her rounding a corner. Viera came over, still eating as she noticed them. "Viera, where were you?"

"I told you, I was going to get something to eat." Viera answered as she gulped down another mouthful. "I found a human willing to give me something."

"OK, we really need to be more careful." Brody commented as the bell rang. "Viera, from now on, try to make sure at least one of us is with you alright?"

"I'll try." She answered.

"OK, so it's gym class next." Hayley responded. "I hope you like dodgeball."

"Dodgeball?" Viera asked. "What's that?"

 **A/N:** The passage marked with a * is true. I thought it illustrated the point pretty well.


	15. Comeback Trail

The following day, up on the Warrior Dome, Cosmo came into a viewing booth high above one of the Warrior Dome's many training arenas. Up here, trainers and managers could watch as their charges practiced their skills, keeping careful track of their performance, power levels, vitals etc, all within a comparatively safe environment. That was to say, a place that was built to be sturdy enough to allow them to use their most powerful attacks without destroying the ship. Whether or not they destroyed themselves, that was more of a secondary concern at best.

Madame Odious had messaged Cosmo to tell him that she had healed Drillion and was just putting him through his paces to make sure he would be ready for the show on Friday. As Cosmo came in, he looked a little stunned as he saw Wrench.

"Ah, my dear Cosmo, so glad you could make it." Madame Odious greeted him as he pointed to Wrench, not quite saying anything. "As I promised, Lord Drillion is back on his feet and ready to demonstrate his skills."

"Yes, I got your message." He told her. "I just hope this wasn't a wasted journey…Wrench, is that…is that you?"

"I not only managed to heal his wounds in my regeneration chamber, but I believe I even managed to improve upon him." She said with an arrogant pride, gesturing to the window. "Take a look."

Cosmo stepped up to the window, looking out over the training area. It was a large octagonal room, one that was easily large enough to take a few gigantified monsters in order to ready them for combat on that scale. The walls were sturdily built, made from materials that could withstand virtually anything short of nuclear explosions, and reinforced with force fields and even a few protective spells just to be on the safe side.

In the centre, Lord Drillion was surrounded by dozens of Kudabots, all programmed with orders to kill him so that they fought to the best of their abilities. It was hard to believe that only days before Drillion was on deaths' door, having been blasted to within minutes of his demise by the Lion Ship. Here, he was standing tall and proud, smashing through his attackers with the power that had made him one of the most feared generals in the Lion Galaxy. Cosmo saw him and smiled.

"Yes, yes, this is encouraging! It's always good to see a major draw being returned to action so…wait…is that a tool-box on his arm?" He asked, looking to Madame Odious.

"It is a multi-purpose combat…"

"It's a tool-box." Cosmo interrupted her.

"It is a highly powerful and extremely dangerous…"

"It's a TOOL BOX!" He repeated again. "What are we going to do, get him to assemble flat-pack furniture? He had a DRILL before! One he could exchange for a SAW! Now what does he have? Allen keys and torque wrenches?"

"I think you'll be pleasantly surprised." Madame Odious told him with a little smirk.

"I better be." Cosmo answered. "I'd hate to think I spent all this money for…Wrench, did you get upgraded?"

"I sure did Cosmo!" Wrench said, suddenly becoming a little nervous. While Cosmo had instructed his staff to get Wrench back into action after Lord Drakkon's attack and was more than willing to pay for some upgrades to get the job done, Wrench had gone more than a little overboard with the catalogue of available upgrades. The most obvious and simple was the fact that he had asked for a chromed finish, meaning that instead of muted, dull appearance, he was now shiny, with many of his surfaces almost being mirrored. He had a lot of upgrades done to his physical abilities, and many tools, weapons and systems added. The advantage of the fact his body had been almost completely mechanical by the point Drakkon had attacked him, apart from the fact he had survived being decapitated, was the fact that replacing his body was comparatively simple even if it was taking a little getting used to. "I…I…I only got upgrades that would help me perform my duties to the best…"

"Oh, Cosmo, you wanted to see what this new weapon could do?" Madame Odious said, gesturing to the window, trying to get his attention back on her own project. Cosmo came to the window just as a new wave of Basher Bots was sent in to reinforce the Kudabots who were almost completely gone. Drillion powered up his new weapon, raising it high above his head. As they watched on, sets of pliers, spanners, hammers and all sorts of other tools started flying out of it in all directions, glowing brightly. They slammed into all the robots, punching straight through them and causing loud explosions to rip through the area, showering the room in robot parts. He started cackling as he saw the destruction, clutching his arm and looking to it gleefully.

"I'm back, and with this new weapon I'm more powerful than ever!" He announced cheerfully, firing off another barrage of attacks as he laughed loudly.

"That…that IS impressive!" Cosmo announced happily. "But…what's with the laughing?"

"Well…he did have some very extensive procedures done." Madame Odious conceded.

"You performed surgery on him, while he was CONSCIOUS!" Wrench reminded her. She just shrugged.

"He's tough." She answered. "I'm sure he'll be fine with a little exercise and some time to rest up before the show."

"Well, I'm sure that can be arranged." Cosmo stated, reaching for some controls. "But first…let's really put this new weapon of his through its paces."

With that, he activated a command, calling forth some monsters to enter the arena. Lord Drillion sank down into his stance and grinned with delight.

"More victims!" He purred. "Come to papa!"

Cosmo looked to Madame Odious.

"Have the footage brought to my office for me to study once he's done. Make sure you book him time in the spa. I don't just want him healthy, I want him looking his best for Friday." He told her, before turning to Wrench. He just smiled. "You're looking good there Wrench. So, what other upgrades have you had?"

"You…you aren't mad?" Wrench asked him.

"Well, I am a LITTLE curious how the chromed finish is a practical upgrade…"

"It's not cosmetic, I swear!" Wrench rushed out. "It's uh…mirroring…to protect form lasers!"

"Really?" Cosmo asked. "That's what I like to see Wrench, taking a negative and turning it into an opportunity! I may just have to see some of these upgrades in action one day soon."

As he left, Wrench stammered out something, but Madame Odious was already laughing.

"Well, you walked into that one now didn't you?" She asked him. Wrench just sank down into a chair.

"I really should have went with the matte finish." He muttered.

Down on Earth, the Ranger Base was looking a little crowded. The Rangers, as per usual, had come to the school early to train and to touch base with Mick as to how things were going. It also gave them an opportunity to check on the progress Mick was making with the new Zord Star, or in this case, more accurately, the lack of progress.

"What do you mean it didn't work?" Brody asked.

"I made the Zord Star, and I threw it at the Nexus Prism, but it just bounced off!" Mick informed them.

"Mick, we need to power that Lion Ship." Levi reminded him. "I know you didn't want to help Viera, we get that, but…"

"Hey, I might not have made any secret of the fact I was reluctant to waste one of our only two remaining Power Stars on helping Viera, but you decided as a group that was what we were doing and I would never act against the team." Mick assured them, handing the Power Star to Brody. "You can check my work if you'd like, but I put as much work into this as I have into any other Power Star."

Brody gave the star a look, before passing it to Levi. They both just nodded.

"Do you think maybe there's a problem with the Nexus Prism?" Viera asked, reminding everyone she was in the room. They suddenly felt a little badly for having been discussing her fate while forgetting the fact she was sitting there listening to them.

"I don't think so, but none of us really know how it works." Hayley admitted. "It just kind of seems to decide for itself when it wants to make new Power Stars and when it doesn't."

"Yeah, but it did WANT us to make the Power Star, we all saw the images of the Lion Ship." Calvin answered.

"So, what does that mean?" Viera asked. "It wants to help, but just not yet?"

"As strange as it sounds, that seems to be the case." Redbot told them. "Perhaps there's some reason the Nexus Prism wants you to stay on Earth a little longer."

"That really isn't that helpful." She grumbled.

"Still, the unfortunate fact is that until the Nexus Prism decides it's time to activate the Zord Star, there's really nothing else we can do." Brody told her. "I guess for the meantime, all we can do is continue to keep a low profile."

"Which means you're going to school for at least one more day." Hayley told her. Viera just groaned. "Look on the bright side, at least first period today is Shop Class."

"Which means at least you won't have to worry about Dr Williams getting nostalgic and asking more about his old home town." Calvin assured her.

"And you have music class later, so that's one more teacher that knows not to ask too many questions." Levi answered.

"Speaking of which, the bell's about to go." Mick told them. "You better all get before anyone wonders why you're spending time in the paint room that's been out of order for months."

"That's a good idea." Levi replied. "Besides, I have some instruments to tune. I'll see you all later."

As they were all starting to get ready to leave, Preston pulled Sarah aside.

"Um, Sarah, can I talk to you for a minute?" Preston asked her.

"Sure." She answered. "What's on your mind?"

"I was just wondering, do you think it's such a good idea if I come around tonight?" He asked her. "I mean, your dad is just coming home from the hospital, I'm sure he'd appreciate some quiet time with his family after so long away. I'd probably just get in the way."

"Preston, are you nervous?" She asked him, seeing the way he was starting to feel uncomfortable. "Come on Preston, you've met my parents before."

"I know, but…I don't know, it just feels a little different now." Preston told her.

"Preston, we've been on one date." She reminded him.

"I know, but it just, I don't know, I just wonder if they'll look at me a little differently now." Preston answered. "I mean, before I was just your goofy, geeky little friend with the magic tricks and now…"

"Now you're my goofy, geeky little friend with the magic tricks." She interrupted him. "Preston, I am not an expert in all of this, but I think you have to go out more than once before parents start having to worry too much about intentions and all that stuff."

"Are you sure?" He asked her. "Your dad did just spend a few weeks in the hospital, the last thing I'd want to do is send him back there."

"Preston, they invited you and you said you'd come, they're expecting you now." She reminded him. "Just relax. You've been around my place loads of time. Just…don't worry about it."

"As long as you're sure." Preston said, still looking a little less than convinced. Sarah put her arms around her.

"Preston, it'll be fine. It's just a welcome home dinner." Sarah told him. "Try to relax, OK?"

"I'll try." Preston responded as he gathered up his things. "Alright, so what's the project of the day?"

Meanwhile, in another part of town, Ellie was sitting in an examination room as the hospital staff checked over her husband one last time to make sure everything was alright. Al let out a little whimper as the doctor placed the stethoscope on his chest.

"That's really cold." He chuckled.

"Sorry about that, I just want to be thorough." She assured him. "As much as we've all loved the financial advice, the last thing any of us want is to see you back here too soon."

"Oh, believe me, I don't want to see him back here any time soon either." Ellie said with a smile. "He might be a huge dork, but he's my dork. I've missed having him around."

"And I for one have missed having a bed with a mattress thicker than the average Kleenex. No offence." He said as she took some notes on his vitals.

"None taken. You forget we have the same mattresses in the on-call room." She agreed. "Well Mr Thompson, I have to say that things are looking pretty good here. As long as you keep up with your exercises and look after yourself, I'd say we're all good here. I'll just arrange your first home visit to follow up and sign your discharge papers."

"Thank you so much for everything you've done." Ellie said to the doctor.

"Please, it was a complete pleasure. I wish I had more patients like your husband." She replied. "Good luck with the new business Mr Thompson."

As she left, Al suddenly looked a little uneasy. Ellie just looked to him with her hands on her hips.

"New business?" She asked. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

"I love you?" He offered weakly. Ellie just continued to stare at him. "I…may have mentioned that I was thinking of starting my own financial advice business."

"You're starting a business?" She asked him.

"I thought, I've been doing so much of it lately, maybe it's a viable new job!" He told her.

"A new business?" She asked him again.

"Ellie, think about it, there are a ton of people who want, who could really use financial advice who just can't afford it!" Al explained. "There's a whole untapped market out there. It's not like I'll be out poaching clients from the six-figure crowd, but there are a lot of soccer moms, minimum wage workers, self-employed tradesmen, all sorts of people who for a fair price could really find themselves a lot better off if they just have someone that knows the system on their side."

"Al, if they aren't earning that much money, how do you expect to get paid?" Ellie asked him. He just smiled.

"I don't think you realise exactly how many people there are that could use a service like mine." Al told her. "I'll be taking all the people that most services wouldn't even look at, so there's basically no competition, and I'll charge a fair rate for my time, so it shouldn't be too hard to get enough clients to make it worth my time. I could run it from home, all I need is a computer, a phone, internet connection…we already have all of those things!"

"You've really given this a lot of thought haven't you?" She asked him. He just nodded.

"Ellie, I'm not going to be going out to work any time soon, it'll be a while before I'm ready to commute." He reminded her. "With this, I can start right away. I've already got some prospective clients lined up!"

"You have?" She asked him.

"Twitter is a wonderful thing." He smirked. "All the free advertising I want!"

"Well, if you think that's going to make you happy, then I guess I'm behind you." She told him, hugging him. "Besides, having you at home more can't be a bad thing."

"I know it's going to be a lot of work, and it's not like it'll make us rich or anything, but this is something I think I can be really passionate about." Al answered. She handed him a bag of clothes.

"Well, why don't you get dressed?" She asked him. "I'll bring the car around."


	16. Dinner at the Thompsons

The Rangers and Viera all assembled in the Ranger Base at the end of the day as they usually did. They wanted to catch up with Mick, who had been working diligently to try and figure out if there was something he was missing with his new Zord Star. He still wasn't a hundred percent on board with the idea of helping create a weapon of mass destruction for her, but on the other hand, since the Nexus Prism had demonstrated it wanted them to help her, he knew that there had to be some kind of deeper purpose he didn't yet see. Unfortunately, he still didn't know why the Nexus Prism hadn't decided to convert the star YET.

He threw the star with all his strength one more time as they Rangers came in. Everyone had to quickly duck for cover as it rebounded around, bouncing off the Prism, and then one of the work benches. Levi recoiled as it whizzed just past his ear.

"Whoa!" He called out. "Mick, if I want a haircut I have a stylist for that!"

"Sorry." Mick sighed. "I still can't figure out why this isn't working! We know the Prism wants us to help Viera, and I've made this star right to the millimetre."

"The Nexus Prism's never just stopped working before." Calvin commented. "Do you think we've somehow damaged it?"

"Calvin, it came through space and crashed into the Earth without a scratch." Hayley reminded him. "I sincerely doubt there's much we could do to damage it if it'll survive that."

"We've never really understood how it works, we know it has something to do with…intent or feeling?" Brody asked him. Mick just looked to him.

"What's that meant to mean?" Mick asked him.

"Mick, we know you have your reasons, but it's not like it's a secret you aren't exactly enthusiastic about helping Viera." Brody reminded him. "Maybe the Nexus Prism picked up on that."

"It might be worth getting one of us to try." Levi conceded, not really wanting to press the idea that perhaps on a subconscious level Mick was sabotaging efforts to help Viera. Mick could pick up on the fact that from the stares of the others, that they all felt much the same, that maybe the Prism wasn't working because Mick didn't want it to work. He handed Brody the Ninja Star.

"Alright, it's worth a try." He sighed, gesturing to the Nexus Prism. Brody took up position, winding up to throw.

"Wait! Hang on a minute!" Levi called out. He cleared off a table, before turning it on its side and positioning himself behind it. He looked to Brody. "Can't be too careful, I kind of like my ears where they are."

The others started to see the wisdom in this plan and also took cover. Brody let loose with his throw, but once again it just rebounded off. He picked it up, looking at it.

"Well, it looks like until we figure this out, Viera's sticking around for a little while." Brody commented. "I'll stay here with Mick and Redbot, see if there isn't some scan we can do or something."

"I'd love to help, but I've got a previous engagement." Levi told them, gathering his things. "I have a charity thing I need to go to. My record company's being pretty good about my hiatus, I can't really complain too much that they want to keep my name and my face out there a little."

"We understand Levi." Hayley told him. The team had all made sacrifices for their Ranger duties, but they knew that by taking an indefinite leave of absence from his career was a costly and also potentially very risky move for him. In showbusiness, the phrase 'out of sight, out of mind' was a pretty important rule. Even a few months between performances could be severely detrimental to a performer's career, especially in a day and age where there were literally hundreds of thousands of artists releasing new material all the time which could be accessed in an instant though modern technology such as digital downloads. If someone didn't appear for a while, there was plenty of distractions and very soon, they would be forgotten about.

"And on that note, I guess we have to be going too." Preston added.

"Tell your dad we were all thinking about him." Calvin told him.

"I will." Sarah assured him. "Come on Preston, I want to swing by the store for some mint chip ice cream. It was always dad's favourite."

"We need to be going too." Calvin answered. "We kind of arranged a date night."

"See you tomorrow." Hayley replied as they left. Brody just looked to Redbot and Mick.

"Alright, you two begin the scans, let us know when they're complete." Brody instructed them. "Viera, can you come with me?"

"What?" She asked. "Where are we going?"

"You said you were trained in combat techniques." Brody told her. "I thought maybe we could train together. I'm always keen to learn new techniques."

"Oh…OK." She replied. As they left to head into the yard, Mick and Redbot started the scans. They had both come from the Lion Galaxy and knew that it was a chaotic and barbaric place at the best of times. Without a ruler, with a vacant throne up for grabs, it would not be long before there would be claimants from all over the galaxy building armies to back their claim, and while those that chose to fight did so knowing what they were risking, there would be a lot of people who didn't pick a side who would be caught in the crossfire. Pretty soon, the Lion Galaxy would become a bloodbath.

Over at the Thompson house, Ellie was busy preparing for the night ahead. Al had been laid up for weeks, and she was thrilled to have him back, even if it was going to be a little while before he was back to full health.

"Ellie, can you come in here for a minute?" Al called through. Ellie rolled her eyes as she wiped off her hands on a dish towel. She went straight through the living room, where Al SHOULD have been, and through to the office. Despite his explicit instructions to rest and take it easy, he had been spending time making up an office for his new business. Although she had told him to rest repeatedly, she knew he couldn't help himself, and so whenever he called she didn't even bother looking for him on the couch.

"Al, what are you doing? You told me you were going to rest!" She said in an exasperated tone.

"I just want you to look at this…"

"Al, you're only just back home from a spinal injury, and today you've already moved a desk and set up a computer." She reminded him. "You shouldn't even be on your feet more than you have to."

"It'll all be worth it, I promise." He told her with a smile. "Come, take a look at this. I'm coming up with ideas for a company logo."

"Company logo?" She asked him. "Al, you only decided to do this…"

"Ellie, I can have a business registered online by the end of the day if I want. Since most of my work is going to be online or over the phone I really don't need to hang around." He continued. "Tell me, what do you think of this one? I wasn't too sure about the green."

"I don't know, I was always fond of green and…wait, why am I encouraging this?" She asked. "If I can't get you to rest on the couch, at very least could you get cleaned up for dinner? Your daughter's going to be home any minute!"

"I will honey, I just need to…"

"NOW!" She demanded. Al just sighed and turned off the computer.

"I suppose I can do more work on it tomorrow." He answered, kissing Ellie on the cheek. "I'll just be in the shower."

"Oh, and try to change into something nice, Preston is coming around." Ellie told him. Al just looked to her.

"So?" He asked. "Preston's been around here loads of times."

"Well, yes he has, but this is a little different." Ellie told him.

"Why?" He asked her.

"Al, just because you're not going to be working in an office anymore doesn't mean that you get to slob around in t-shirts and denims all the time." She put down flatly. "Now just do as I say and put on a damn shirt."

"I will honey." He replied as he left the room.

Meanwhile, Levi stepped out of a limo outside of a large mansion in San Angeles. He was wearing a tuxedo, along with his signature Stetson. As he stepped out, he was greeted by a wall of camera flashes. He smiled a little. While he sincerely loved his time at the school, it was good being back in familiar surroundings. He attended functions like this all the time on his tours. Between his genuine interest in paying forward his good fortune to those who hadn't been as lucky and the fact his record company loved any kind of free publicity, he was a fixture on the celebrity charity circuit for some time.

There were a bunch of people calling out his name, clamouring for his attention, but he was only looking for one. He smiled as he saw his brother Tom standing a little way up, talking to security. He came over, hugging his brother.

"Levi, looking good!" Tom greeted him. "Glad to see you made it."

"Yeah, well I did have a space on my schedule." Levi answered. Just then, Mrs Finch arrived beside him. Levi gestured to her. "Tom, I'm sure you've met Mrs Finch."

"Yeah, from the school, I remember." Tom answered. "Excuse me, but why…?"

"Oh, she's my plus one." Levi answered, taking her arm. Tom just raised an eyebrow.

"Really?" He asked.

"He owed me a favour." She replied with a smile. "And I've ALWAYS wanted to see this place!"

"Well then, I'm sure you'd appreciate a guided tour then." Another man said as he arrived. He shook hands with Levi. "Andrew Hartford, welcome to my home."

"The pleasure's all mine." Levi answered him. "Life's been good to me. I believe in paying it forward when you can."

"A sentiment I share." Andrew agreed. "So, would you all like a tour? I'm sure we have plenty of time before the auction."

"We'd be deeply honoured!" Levi answered. Andrew started to lead them onward, beginning to show Mrs Finch some of the many artefacts he had in his collection. While he donated the vast majority of what he found to museums, laboratories and universities all around the world, he did get to keep a considerable number of them. It was one of the benefits of being the most active archaeologist on the planet. Tom gestured to Mrs Finch.

"Seriously, why did you bring her?" Tom asked.

"I kind of owed her." Levi answered. "She slipped some paperwork for Viera into the system without asking any questions. In return I offered to bring her."

"You know, there comes a point where your duties to that Spandex have limits." Tom told him. "I'm here trying to keep your career alive. If you wanted a date I could have set you up with someone."

"Who says I want a date? Besides, I like her. I'd probably have invited her even if I didn't owe her." Levi answered. Tom just sighed.

"You know, I for one will be glad when this is all over and you can get back to normal." Tom stated. "While I'm working overtime to make sure no one forgets what you look like, you're playing Saved by the Bell."

"You know you don't have to be so down on them, they're my friends." Levi told him. "Which reminds me, they were saying something about you calling Brody a plagiarist! What the hell's that about?"

"It's a long story…"

"So, he used one of your songs at a talent contest, it's not a big deal." Levi told him. "You did cover versions anyway."

"Alright, maybe calling him a plagiarist was a little strong, but he told people that song was his." Tom told him. "My career might have had the momentum of a cockroach with no legs but I was proud of my work, especially that song. It was the only one that wasn't…"

"Hey, Levi, come look at this!" Mrs Finch called out, waving him over. "Dr Hartford actually got this from ATLANTIS of all places!"

"Atlantis? Seriously?" He asked, brushing past Tom and heading to the display. "I didn't know that was really a thing!"

"Oh yes, it has quite a fascinating story behind it." Andrew told him. "It actually dates back to my son's Ranger days…"

Back at the Thompson House, Sarah and Preston arrived, letting themselves in. Ellie came over to them as soon as she heard the door, hugging Sarah tightly.

"Sorry we're late mom, the queue at the market was just crazy." Sarah told her. "I got the ice-cream."

"Oh, no doubt your dad will just love that." She told her. "Preston, it's wonderful to see you, is that a new sweater?"

"Uh…no, I've had it for a while." Preston told her.

"Oh, well…it looks very handsome on you." Ellie told him. "Come in, come in, the living room is right this way!"

"He knows mom, he's been here before." Sarah reminded her. "He's been here quite a few times actually."

"Oh, right of course." She answered. "Well, you two go and make yourselves comfortable. Al! Our guests are here!"

"I'm just coming." He said, making his way through from the kitchen with a bottle of lemonade and some glasses. Preston and Sarah both sat on the couch, but as they did, Preston couldn't help feeling a little uneasy about how close they were and edged a little further from Sarah on the couch. Al started pouring the lemonade, completely oblivious to the Blue Ranger's actions. "So, Preston, how are things at home?"

"Things are pretty good thanks." Preston told him. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm still feeling a little like I've been through a blender." Al said as he handed Preston and Sarah both some lemonade. He went to his own chair, sitting down. "I'll be glad once I've got things up and running with my new business."

"New…business?" Preston asked him.

"Al, Preston's your guest, he doesn't want to spend all night talking about your new business venture!" Ellie said, coming into the room and putting down a dish with some appetisers. "The Beef Wellington's in the oven, it'll need to bake for about three quarters of an hour, so we have plenty of time to talk."

"Three quarters of an hour?" Preston said a little nervously. "Great!"


	17. Artefacts of the Past

In San Angeles, Tom, Levi and Mrs Finch were getting a very scenic guided tour of the Hartford estate. Mrs Finch, who had always had a keen interest in history, was enthralled by this private collection.

"I picked this up in Istanbul." Andrew declared, showing her a clay pot with a cork sealed into it. "It's something of an enigma, even among seasoned experts. It's an example of one of the famed 'Baghdad Batteries'. They were mysterious clay pots…"

"…That were found in the middle-east that date back many centuries." Mrs Finch spoke in an awed whisper, looking around it. "They were found to have two metallic tubes inside and filled with an acidic compound, forming a kind of battery. They pre-date all known batteries by many years."

"I'm impressed." Andrew said with a smile as he looked to her. Levi noted the way that she looked back to him, with a gleam in her eye.

"I thought there were only three in the world!" She commented. He just shrugged.

"Three that the general public know about." He responded. "I've found about a dozen personally. Three of them are in a museum, the rest are dispersed between several science labs around the world, including four at Hartford Industries and three that I know of at NASADA."

"This collection is incredible." She gasped. "If it belonged to anyone else, I'd find it distasteful that a private collector would have treasures like these hidden away from the public. I believe…"

"…That the treasures of the past belong to the world for everyone to enjoy and study." Andrew replied with a nod. "I agree wholeheartedly, but since I'm personally responsible for approximately sixty seven percent of all the historical artefacts currently being displayed worldwide, no one cares if I keep a souvenir or two for myself. I make a point of never taking anything that there isn't more than one of on display."

"I do not want to begin to imagine what all of this is worth." Tom remarked. Mrs Finch and Andrew both glared at him, like he had made the most vulgar of statements one could imagine. Levi wasn't looking at that though, he was too busy looking at the fact that Andrew was still standing arm-in-arm with Mrs Finch.

"I don't think you can put a dollar value on the history of mankind." Mrs Finch said in that tone she usually reserved for her kids when she was telling them off for acting out in class.

"I don't know, I'm sure some of the people at the auction would give it a damn good try." Tom answered, oblivious to the offence he had caused. Andrew just shook his head.

"Nothing up here is for sale." Andrew assured him. "This is always going to be my private collection. I want to ensure there's at least some things left behind in case something terrible happens."

Just then, Tom's cell phone rang. He answered it, smiling as he saw the number.

"Hey there, what's happening?" He asked. "Wait, you're…you're here? Cool, meet me by the fountain outside, I'll be right out."

He looked to Andrew and the others.

"Sorry, but business calls." He told them. "Still, all of this was…really interesting. Thanks."

As he left, they both looked to Levi.

"I'm sorry about him. Tom's interest in history goes back about as far as the last time the Cowboys won the Superbowl."

"It's alright, believe me, I grew up around people who couldn't understand my fascination with old things and trinkets from the past." He told them. "I'd like to say I WAS a dork, but I'm honest, I still am."

"Should we maybe get back to the party?" Mrs Finch asked. "I'm sure they're missing you!"

"I think you over-estimate how much anyone cares about me at these things." Andrew chuckled, putting his arm around her. Levi felt something starting to churn inside him seeing that. "I only even throw these things because if I don't, people start to wonder what I do all day. You should see the things the press says about Anton Mercer! Honestly, I don't know how he puts up with it. Anyway, if you'll just come this way, I have more in here…"

"Where did you get this?" Levi asked as his eyes came to rest on a display case. Inside was a mannequin, dressed in a leather outfit, that had some pale blue piping, and raised plates that seemed to be some kind of lightweight armour. On the centre of it, right above the heart, was a red symbol.

"Oh…oh that? I forgot that was in here if I'm honest, it's a form of ninjutsu armour. Its origins are in Japan…"

"No…not this one." Levi said as he started to feel his head beginning to spin and a sharp pain starting to race through it. "Its design is Japanese, but its construction is an American variation."

"Well, it probably is a reproduction…"

"I've seen this…this is the uniform of a sensei of the Wind Ninja Academy." Levi said as some more blurry images assaulted him.

"Wind Ninja Academy?" Andrew asked, sounding a little uneasy. He knew exactly what that was. Back during the days his team was active, one of their number, Tori Hanson, had stood in when his team had been stripped of their powers. "I'm sorry, I think you might be confusing fact with fiction…"

"LEVI!" Mrs Finch called out as Levi suddenly went limp and fell backwards. She and Andrew were quick enough to catch him before he hit the floor and lower him gently. "LEVI!"

"He's breathing, his pulse is a little erratic, but he's breathing." Andrew rushed out, pulling out a radio. "Andrews, bring some water and a pillow to the attic right away!"

He put away the radio, but looked to Mrs Finch.

"Has this happened before?" He asked her.

"No, nothing like this!" She rushed out. "He's got some problems with his memory, he's had some flashbacks, but I've never seen him react like this!"

"I came as quickly as I could." Andrews stated, placing the pillow under Levi's head. "Is he injured?"

"I don't think so, but we should keep him comfortable." Andrew rushed out. "Tell Mack to prepare the lab. If he doesn't come around in a couple of minutes, we'll take him there for a full work-up."

"Levi, it's going to be alright." Mrs Finch said to him. "It's alright."

Over in the Thompson House, Preston was standing in the middle of the room, demonstrating one of his tricks for his small audience. He had found the conversation drying up a little, and so he had fallen back onto more familiar and more comfortable territory.

He liked the Thompsons. Ellie and Al had always been welcoming and friendly towards him. He had been around their house a lot, between helping Sarah with her projects, rehearsing shows with her, poring over their latest additions to their comic book collections and just generally hanging out together, they had always been happy to see him and had always had an open door for him.

Preston didn't know if they saw him any differently, but he most definitely felt different around them now that he and Sarah were trying to take their relationship to a different place. He was suddenly much more aware of the fact he was touching her in front of them, and he was always trying to keep an appropriate distance from her, even on the couch. He was trying not to look at her too much, and whenever they looked at him, he always worried about what they were thinking. He whipped away the handkerchief he was holding, presenting a bunch of roses…but not just paper or silk roses as would be expected from this trick, but actual roses. As they clapped, he reached over, handing them to Ellie.

"Oh, thank you Preston, you're such a perfect gentleman!" She stated. "But are you sure these are for me?"

"Um…" Preston said, casting a glance to Sarah. He could see her gaze, but in her eyes, he didn't see any expectation of being given the flowers. Instead, he could tell she was probably wondering if he had used some of his real magic to pull off that trick. He had, he was so nervous he had thrown in a little of his own magic just to make it a little more spectacular. He had hoped that since he was planning to give the flowers to Ellie, strictly speaking it wouldn't be personal gain and his magic wouldn't go awry. He was grateful that whatever the source of his magic seemed to agree with his interpretation and slight bending of the rules. "…I always try to be a gracious guest."

"Well, you are a smooth one, I'll give you that." Al chuckled. "That was pretty impressive."

"Oh, that's the oven timer." Ellie called out as she heard the alarm going off. "I'll just start plating up. If you'd all like to make your way to the table."

They all filed through, at which Preston stumbled on the next problem. Where was he supposed to sit? He wanted to sit next to Sarah, but would that be overly familiar? He did think of sitting opposite her, but that felt a little more like a date. He'd be aware of the fact he'd be directly facing her and wondered if that would put them on display. Would the Thompsons be wondering what was going on beneath the table?

As Sarah sat down, he opted to go to the other end of the table, sitting at the end so he was around the corner from her. She was now a couple of chairs away and not directly facing him. Hopefully that would be enough distance to keep Al's mind at ease.

"What are you doing all the way over there?" Al asked him.

"Well, I uh…"

"I like a little conversation over dinner, come on around here where I can see you." Al told him. "Sit next to Sarah. No one ever just talks over dinner anymore. I blame TV dinners."

Preston started to make his way slowly over to Sarah's side. He was suddenly very aware of where his hands were, could Al see his hands? He put them up on the table, but something reminded him that it was considered rude to have his elbows on the table. He rested his wrists uncomfortably on the edge of the table and clasped his hands. The edge of the table dug into the nerve a little, making his fingers go numb. He took his hands off the table again, crossing them in front of his chest, before something reminded him that could be seen as rude as well. He started fidgeting nervously, trying to figure out where to put them.

"Preston!" Sarah whispered, putting a hand on his hands. "What are you doing?"

"Dinner is served!" Ellie declared as she arrived, much to Preston's delight. She put down a plate in front of Al, and in front of Sarah.

"Nice and pink in the middle, just the way I like it." Al complimented her. "That's just the way it should be isn't it Preston?"

"Well…um…" He started to say. "This…this is the first time I've had this actually."

"You've never eaten Beef Wellington?" Al said in disbelief. "Ellie, this boy hasn't lived! He's never had Beef Wellington before!"

"Oh, well I guess there's a first time for everything." She replied, setting a plate down in front of Preston and sitting down with a plate herself. Preston looked to the dish. He'd had roast dinners before, so he imagined it was a little like that. It was basically brisket that had been spread with pate and then wrapped in pastry before being baked in the oven. Ellie had served it with roast potatoes and vegetables with some gravy. Preston waited for his cue from the others, who started to eat. He picked up his cutlery and was about to start when the doorbell sounded.

"Leave it, it's probably just one of those salesmen or something." Ellie told him. "We never answer the door while we're eating."

"I always find it really rude when people interrupt dinner, don't you agree Preston?" Al asked. Preston just nodded, having shoved the first bite into his mouth. He did love it; the dish had been cooked wonderfully. He thought it was the kind of thing he might like to share with his dad on one of the few instances they both had time to eat together. He made a note to ask Ellie for the recipe. The doorbell rang again.

"They're persistent, I'll give them that." Ellie responded. The bell rang again, this time being mashed down and held so it was a constant ring.

"Son of a…sorry, I shouldn't…" Al sighed. "I'll get it."

"No, it's alright, I'll get it." Preston assured him, wiping off his mouth with a napkin. "I'll just ask them to go."

As he went to the door, he was happy for a little moment away from the table. The Thompsons hadn't given him any reason to think that they weren't happy he was there, but he felt like he was under the microscope. Every move, every gesture, he was wondering if they would think badly of him and wonder if he was good for their daughter. He was starting to wonder himself. As the doorbell was mashed again and again as he got close, he readied himself to unleash on the rude arrival. He threw open the door.

"We're having dinner, you'll have to…" He paused as he saw the man standing on the doorstep. "…dad?"

"Preston?" He asked.

"Mr Tien!" Ellie greeted him as she got to the door to see what was taking Preston so long. "We weren't expecting you. We were having dinner."

"I'm sorry to interrupt, I didn't know you were having dinner." Mr Tien answered, looking to Preston. "My son, unfortunately, didn't tell me you had plans. I just heard your husband had come home and I was just hoping to stop in and see if everything was alright and give you this."

He handed Ellie a box of chocolates, at which she just looked and forced a smile.

"Chocolate liqueurs…how…thoughtful." She said as she put them aside. "We have some extra, would you like to stay for dinner?"

Preston's eyes grew wider as she said this. Marcus just smiled.

"That would be my pleasure!" He told her, taking off his jacket and hanging it up, heading through to the living room. As Ellie went to prepare another plate, Preston just looked to the chocolate liqueurs that his dad had brought, before taking a deep breath.

"Great." He sighed. "That's just perfect."

Many years in the past, Levi was sitting on a mountain, overlooking a city in the early hours. He had a backpack with him, packed and ready to go. He was not used to moving, he had been here his whole life. His friends, his teachers, his toys, all his favourite places, they were all right here. He still didn't understand why his dad had told them they had to go. He had been told to only pack a few things, and that they would get what they needed when they got to their new home. Levi didn't want to leave anything behind.

"Hey there kiddo." He heard someone say. He looked up, seeing a woman arriving. She had long, black hair that was braided all the way down her back, and bright green eyes. She had the skin tone of someone who spent most of their time outdoors, and she was wearing a strange outfit.

It was the outfit Levi had seen, the one that triggered the flashback. She sat with him as he continued to sulk. "You gave everyone a bit of a fright. Your dad's looking everywhere for you."

Little Levi didn't answer though. He was just staring out over the city he wasn't sure he would ever see again. His dad hadn't told them much about where they were going, only that it was a long way from the city, and that it was a farm. He had never been to a farm before, but from what he saw in books, it was just miles and miles of nothing. The woman finally broke the silence.

"You know, I guess on the bright side at least we know your training's working." She commented. "Not many people could give your dad the slip."

"I don't want to go to a stinky farm!" He declared. She just looked to him.

"Maybe you'll like it." She suggested. "You won't know if you don't give it a chance."

"I don't WANT to give it a chance!" He said in a huffed tone. "This isn't fair, why do I have to go?"

"Well, your dad is having a really hard time without your mom." She told him. "Being around here, around all the places, around all the things that remind him of her, it just makes him really sad. Maybe he thinks that this will make it easier for him to take care of you and your brother."

"But I don't want to go!" He reiterated.

"Well, maybe this is one of those instances where you need to think of what your dad wants, what he needs." She replied. "Don't you want your dad to be happier?"

"But all his friends are here." Levi told her.

"And they always will be if he needs them." She replied. "Or if you need them. Remember, you'll always have friends in Blue Bay Harbour."

She leaned over, hugging him tightly.

"What do you say we go and find your dad?" She asked him.

"Yes Sensei." He replied, allowing him to help her up, before following her in search of her dad.

Levi woke up in the present, finding himself in unfamiliar surroundings. He was now in some kind of underground cave, surrounded by machines and lying on a table. He found he had wires attached to him. He reached to start pulling them off.

"Levi!" Mrs Finch called out, reaching for him. "Don't move too quickly."

"What…what happened?" He asked.

"I was hoping you'd tell me." Andrew replied, looking up from his computer. "You collapsed in the attic. Mrs Finch told me about your memory problems."

"I had to, it looked like you were having a flashback before you keeled over." She told him. "It's the worst I've seen from you, but you've never passed out before."

"I've read your autobiography." Andrew told him. "I was always curious about why it only seemed to start when you were thirteen. Mrs Finch tells me you have very little memory before then?"

"Almost none." Levi answered. "I'm not even sure of a lot of the memories I do have."

"I know it's not much of a consolation, but I did do some extensive scans and as far as I can see, there's no physiological reason you should have any problems with your memory." Andrew told him. "Whatever happened to you, it's psychological barriers it's created."

"I know, it's just…sometimes I'm getting flashes. Usually when I see something or hear something…" He tailed off as he recalled something. "The armour, the suit I saw. I saw it before."

"You kind of told us that much." Mrs Finch stated. "You said something about a place called the Wind Ninja Academy."

"It's sort of an urban legend." Andrew chipped in. He had forgotten all about the sensei armour that Tori had gifted him a few years ago. He certainly never expected to find anyone that knew what it was. While the identities of his team were public knowledge, the Ninja Storm Rangers all still remained unidentified except to those within the Ranger community.

"It's not just a legend." Levi told them. "I think I've been there. I saw it while I was out…I think I was there as a kid."

"You were in a ninja academy as a kid?" Mrs Finch asked him. "I guess that explains some of how you survived on the streets for so long at such a young age."

"What do you remember?" Andrew asked him. "How much do you remember about…?"

"I only remember it being in Blue Bay Harbour." Levi stated. "I don't know why I was there, or what I was there for but…I was there! I know it!"


	18. Jumping The Gun

Dinner at the Thompson House was pretty quiet once Mr Tien arrived. It wasn't as though Al and Marcus actively disliked each other, but to say things were hardly very friendly would be a little bit of an understatement. Before the attack at the Ribbon Tree, Al had actually resigned from his position with Marcus' company. It was only his change of heart after the attack that had led Marcus to pay for Al's treatment while he was in the hospital.

There were a few glances around the table, but the only sound was cutlery on dinner plates. Preston felt every little squeak of a knife against china or clink of a fork assaulting his eardrums like gunfire. He found his stomach in knots as he looked to his dad, who had turned up unannounced. Preston was already feeling on display, and he was keenly aware of everything he said and did. While he wasn't a hundred percent sure how Sarah's parents felt about the idea that he and Sarah were getting a little closer. He wasn't even entirely certain whether or not Sarah had told them that they had gone on a date, but since Sarah didn't really make a habit of lying to people or hiding things from people…with the exception of being a Power Ranger of course…he kind of presumed they knew.

He felt something under the table, fingers fumbling around his hand, before taking it. She looked aside to Sarah, who just smiled at him. She mouthed the words 'are you alright?' to him. Preston just smiled back.

"Preston, are you feeling alright? You've hardly touched your meal." Marcus stated. "The meal is wonderful Mrs Thompson."

"Thank you, Mr Tien." She answered. "Please, call me Ellie."

"Then I suppose you should call me Marcus." He answered. "So, how is your recovery going Al?"

"Some moments are better than others." Al told him. "The pain comes and goes, I'm able to get around most days. I doubt it'll be a while before I'm capable of running any marathons, but since I never did that in the first place, I suppose it's no great loss."

"I'm pleased to hear your treatment was money well spent." Marcus answered. Preston just put a hand to his forehead and leant on the table. He couldn't believe his dad had said that. He had assured the Thompsons that he was happy to pay the bills, feeling at least partially responsible for Al's injuries, but it did sound a little like he was reminding them of his generosity, perhaps casting it up to them.

"Well, I was very well looked after." Al told him. "I was glad to be able to repay at least some of the care they gave me."

"You were billed?" Marcus asked incredulously, slamming down his cutlery. "Rest assured I will have someone's job for this! I gave EXPLICIT instructions you were not to be asked for one cent…!"

"That's…not exactly what I was meaning." Al told him. "I was able to give some of the staff some financial advice. Setting up some trust funds, tax returns, that kind of thing. It really kept my mind occupied. There are only so many episodes of Judge Judy any one man can watch."

"Well, I am pleased." Mr Tien told him. "So, have you given any more thought to coming back to the office?"

Preston just let out a low sigh hearing this. One of the big reasons they had fallen out in the first place was his dad's insistence on trying to control everything about those around him. He had tried to pressure Al into going into a line of work he had sworn he would never do again. He had tried to bribe him with extravagant gifts, even going so far as to pay off his mortgage to sway him. He had even tried a few veiled threats when he didn't get his way.

"I'm sorry Mr Tien…"

"Please, I asked you to call me…"

"I think Mr Tien would be more appropriate for this." Al put down flatly. "I'm sorry, but I haven't changed my mind. I have to decline your kind offer."

"Al, please, I've got the message loud and clear on the investment thing. You'll never hear a word about it." Marcus assured him.

"I just think a little too much water has gone under the bridge." Al told him. Preston could feel a squeeze of his hand and looked to Sarah, who was just reminding him she was there.

"Then what are you going to do?" Marcus asked him, looking a little put out that his offer had been refused. Al just shuffled a little in his seat. He knew it was a gamble, and he wasn't too sure how it would all pan out, but seeing Marcus' face, he just felt like he was being belittled in front of his family, called out on how he intended to look after them.

"If you must know, I'm starting my own business." Al informed him. Marcus just looked at him curiously.

"Your own business you say?" He asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Dad, I really don't think…"

"I'm going to be a financial advisor." He said, ignoring Preston's attempt to interrupt. "I found I have a little bit of a flair for it. There aren't many people that know the system like I do."

"Financial advisor?" Marcus asked him. "Do you know how many firms there are in this city…?

"Thirty-eight." Al stated. "But I'm confident I won't be competing for the same market."

"Oh? How so?" Marcus asked him. "It's a saturated market, especially when you can't offer clients the kind of service…"

"Well, perhaps that's because they don't look for the kind of clients I'm going to represent." Al told him. "Small businesses, self-employed, low income…"

"You…you're not serious, right?" Marcus started to laugh. "You want to start a business counting chump change and pennies for…?"

"For hard-working people who could use a little point in the right direction how to get the best from their money!" Al snapped.

"Al, please, come back to work." Marcus answered. "The place hasn't been the same without you."

"Mr Tien, do you know why I quit your firm in the first place?" Al asked him.

"We had a misunder…"

"Because you don't LISTEN to anyone!" Al snapped at him. "Our kids are friends Marcus, and because of that I've tried to be as polite as possible, but you don't listen to people when they tell you what you don't want to hear or what you don't care about!"

"I think that's a little…"

"What about these eh?" Al asked him, picking up the chocolates. Marcus just looked to him curiously.

"I brought you a gift because…"

"You brought me chocolate liqueurs!" Al snapped at him. "I'm an ALCOHOLIC!"

"Oh…I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

"DAD!" Preston begged him. "Mr Thompson gave you an answer, please, just let it go!"

"Well, I can see when I've worn out my welcome." Marcus stated, wiping off his mouth with a napkin. "Thank you for dinner Ellie, it was really quite nice. Preston!"

Preston looked to the Thompsons apologetically. He just got up from the table and started to get his jacket. Sarah looked to him sympathetically, knowing that Preston was in an impossible situation. He had only just started to work on his relationship with his dad, the last thing he could deal with was taking sides against him. Preston looked to Ellie.

"Thank you for dinner." He rushed out.

"PRESTON!" Marcus yelled from the door, where he was already on the way out. Preston headed out the door after him. Preston headed out, closing the door behind him. Sarah took a deep breath before looking to her dad.

"Dad…"

"It's fine Sarah." He answered curtly. "Nothing a little ice-cream won't fix."

Sarah just nodded and headed to the kitchen to start preparing some of the ice-cream she had picked up. She only hoped this was one problem that ice-cream could solve.

On the road back to his apartment, Levi felt a little badly about how his night with Mrs Finch had gone. It was a little trying getting through the auction, but Levi had pushed through for the sake of his backers. A lot of people at his record company were working very hard to keep his name known in the business during his hiatus. So far, they had been quite patient and understanding, they hadn't even asked too many questions about exactly why he had opted to take an indefinite hiatus during one of the hottest periods of his career. When they asked him to do a public appearance, it wasn't exactly like he could refuse when a lot of people were quite literally staking their careers on his success.

He only had one item to auction, which was just as well because after his flashbacks, he was a little unsteady, and really wasn't in the mood to meet a bunch of people and take selfies. He wanted to try and think, to make sense of what he had seen in his visions. He also felt a little badly for Mrs Finch. He had offered to take her to the Hartford Mansion because it housed the largest collection of privately owned historical artefacts on the planet. He had hoped to make a nice night of it. Instead, she had the privilege of watching him faint and then try to muddle through the rest of the night.

As she pulled up outside of Levi's apartment block, she shut off the engine. Levi looked to her a little regretfully.

"I'm really sorry about tonight." Levi sighed. "I don't make a promise of fainting, I promise."

"Well, it was a little scary, but at least it was memorable." She acknowledged with a gentle pat on his leg. Levi just shook his head.

"I took you to this thing to have a good time, to see something not many people get a chance to." Levi told her. "I'm sorry I ruined it with my little turn."

"Well, that depends on how you look at it now isn't it?" Mrs Finch asked him. "You wanted me to see something not many people do, right?"

"Yes?" He asked.

"Well, how many people get to say they've been to a real-live Ranger Base?" She said with a shrug. Levi just laughed a little. She had no idea on how many levels that joke worked for him.

"I suppose that's true." He answered.

"I'm just glad you're alright." She stated. "I have to admit, when you keeled over, it was really pretty scary."

"You think you were scared?" Levi asked. "I was looking at my own life like a TV show I've never seen before."

"Maybe…Maybe you should have taken Andrew up on his offer." She suggested. "He might have been able to help you unlock some more of your memories."

"To be honest, I'm not sure what he could have done." Levi said with a smile. "But I'm sure he wouldn't mind inviting you back."

"Me?" She asked. "Why would he want to see me?"

"It just looked like you two were really hitting it off." Levi said, nudging her a little. "You have a whole lot in common with all that history stuff, and last time I checked, there wasn't a Mrs Hartford."

"Yes, Andrew is pretty sweet, but ditching in the middle of the night when you get another offer is more my ex husband's trick." She told him, taking his hand. "When I go on a date with a guy, I finish the date with the guy."

"Well, I appreciate that." Levi said, reaching for the door handle, before stopping. "Wait, did you say date?"

"Yes, I did, didn't I?" She asked with a bright smile. She patted his leg. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"I'll see you tomorrow Mrs Finch." He answered.

"Mary." She corrected him. "When there are no students around, it's Mary."

"I'll see you tomorrow Mary." Levi said as he got out, before she pulled away. He watched her car go and shook his head. He was glad that Mary had a good time, but for now, there was something else weighing on his mind. He had seen some more of the missing pieces of his life, but he didn't know what to do with them. He knew that Brody knew more about ninjas than anyone he had ever known. If anyone could fill in some blanks about this Wind Ninja Academy, it would be him. He was grateful that it was Thursday the following day, and that meant they would have another day before Cosmo's next show.

Up on the Warrior Dome, Galvanax came into the spa, looking around. Many of the richer and more prominent fighters had memberships here. Being able to take care of themselves was a good thing for many of them. A good massage, a trip to a steam room, even just a spin in a jacuzzi could work wonders for a bruised and battered body.

"Could you just sign in sir…WHOA!" The desk assistant said, presenting a book to him, only for Galvanax to shove him roughly backwards to the floor. He made his way through the doors into the spa as the desk assistant scrambled to the desk. "You need to change out of your armour before you go in…"

Galvanax fired off a blast which destroyed the desk, and the assistant, before heading inside. His footsteps on the tiled floor fell like thunder. Most of the patrons scrambled quickly to leave as he made his way through, running from the spa without even stopping by the changing rooms to collect their belongings. He could see one figure in the back that didn't move though. Drillion's back was to him as he sat in a jacuzzi on its spin cycle. His fur was wet, and weighed down by water, forming around his body, but that just made it clear how densely muscled he really was. He had his arms splayed around the edge of the tub, his weapon-arm ending in merely a stump since he'd had to remove his weapon before he could enter. As Galvanax got close, Drillion didn't even turn around.

"Do you have that effect on every room you enter?" Drillion asked him.

"Only when those in the room have a good sense of self-preservation." Galvanax stated. "It appears my manager has done good work getting you back on your feet. Indeed, you appear to be enjoying my hospitality."

"Some sushi would be nice." Drillion answered with a shrug. "But I think you scared off the server."

Galvanax threw his naginata, which lodged in the wall. He walked around to where Drillion could see him and crouched down.

"So, how good are you feeling?" Galvanax asked him.

"Once I have a blow-dry, I'm sure I'll look better than I did when I arrived." Drillion told him.

"Would you say you're ready for your second round?" Galvanax asked him.

"Any time." Drillion responded. "Though I'm sure I have to wait on Cosmo's schedule."

"Forget Cosmo." Galvanax told him, throwing Drillion a small device. Drillion caught it and looked at it curiously.

"What's this?" He asked him.

"The last known whereabouts of the Royal Flagship." Galvanax replied. "I thought you might like to get a little payback for your injuries. If it draws the Rangers into battle a little sooner than Cosmo would like? So be it."

"Then I'll set out in the morning." Drillion responded. Galvanax retrieved his naginata from the wall and walked out, leaving Drillion to finish his spa in piece as he examined the device. Soon, he would remove the last limb from the royal family tree, and the throne would be his for the taking.

The following morning, Levi headed for the workshop, hoping to catch Brody before the others arrived for the day. He yawned as he headed down the hall, taking a sip of coffee. He hadn't slept very well at all. All night, he had been going over and over the new memories he had, trying to think if there was anything else he could figure out. The woman in the flashback was wearing sensei armour of the Wind Ninja Academy, but as hard as he tried, he couldn't remember a name. He knew that he knew her, but he couldn't tell HOW he knew her or WHY he knew her. He could remember mountains and thanks to Dr Hartford he knew the Wind Ninja Academy was somewhere in Blue Bay Harbour, but he didn't know WHERE in Blue Bay Harbour. Saying something was in mountains in Blue Bay Harbour was somewhat like saying that something was in a snow field in Antarctica.

When he got there, unfortunately, he heard voices, a lot of them. It seemed like the Rangers were already there. He opened up the extractor fan entrance and stepped inside, finding Sarah pacing the room.

"I don't get it, I've tried everything I can think of." Sarah told them. "The Zord Star for Viera's ship isn't ready yet."

"Well, we're running out of time, Cosmo's going to be sending another monster tomorrow!" Calvin pointed out. "At least we know Drillion's out of action. There's no way he could bounce back in a week after what Viera did to him."

Just then, there was an alarm. Everyone glared at Calvin.

"I know, I know." He grumbled as Hayley went to the computers. She checked out the computer.

"It's a power signature in the Western Woods." Hayley told them. "It's…that can't be right."

"What?" Sarah asked her.

"It's Drillion!" Hayley called out. Everyone turned and glared at Calvin again.

"Fine, I guess I'll just stop talking altogether then!" Calvin snapped grumpily.

"Maybe that would be for the best." Brody suggested.

"Wait…did you say the Western Woods?" Viera asked. "That's where my ship crashed!"

"But, I thought you said it was cloaked!" Brody rushed out.

"Brody, you spent ten years on the Warrior Dome, I spent twice that long there, and I was the Chief Engineer for most of that time." Mick reminded him. "You know the kind of tech Cosmo has at his disposal."

"I bet he's going after your ship to destroy it!" Calvin said. "That was what brought him down last time. If he takes it out now, there might be no way to stop him!"

"Not to mention we'll have no way of getting Viera home." Mick added. "Go! I'll keep working on the Zord Star. Hopefully I can figure something out!"

"Come on guys, let's go!" Brody called out as the Rangers ran from the room.


	19. Help But Not As Expected

Drillion had been sent to Earth, together with his new weapon and the device Galvanax had given him, in the hopes of destroying the Lion Ship. Drillion hadn't been on the Warrior Dome long, but he had been there long enough to figure out that there were a few competing agendas on board. Cosmo, the one who owned and ran the ship and the TV show only really cared about maximising profits and maximising the profits of his show and his merchandise. He always made a pretty good show of being a kind and caring boss to some of those around him, but it quickly became evident by the way he'd say the same thing to a few different people, only with subtle differences in inflection to alter its meaning a little that he only really cared so long as someone was a good investment. He was positive that he would happily sell him, and anyone else, even the mighty Galvanax out and watch their destruction if he thought that was the best time to cash in an investment.

Galvanax cared only for the Power Stars and for maintaining his position as the Champion. Being Champion meant everything to him, but like every warrior, he knew that the day would come when someone would come along that was a little better, or a little faster, a little stronger, or perhaps on the day, a little luckier and his position on the ship would be at an end. Galvanax made a show about only caring about battle and proving his strength, but while that may have been the case at one time, Drillion suspected he liked the prestige and position it gave him. Galvanax was pretty much the only warrior on the ship who wasn't a complete slave to Cosmo's whims. He couldn't simply fire him if he tired of his attitude, and Galvanax could pretty much go where he wanted and do as he liked throughout the ship without anyone daring to question him. He cared at present only for the strength the Power Stars would grant him, and the only reason he hadn't gone to get them himself was because of Cosmo and his show.

Cosmo wanted to wait another day, to broadcast the battle on Friday as normal, but Galvanax had assured him that an attack now could provoke the Rangers into battle early and circumvent Cosmo's wishes. Since Drillion didn't actually work for Cosmo, there was little he could do to him. The worst he could do is threaten not to broadcast the fight and deny Drillion his exposure and his fight purse, but since Drillion cared little for the contest anyway that would only hurt Cosmo's bottom line.

He followed the device's directions coming up on mountains a little way from the city. He could see the head and shoulders of the Lion Ship wedged between a couple of peaks and smiled.

"Aha! THERE'S the Lion Ship!" He declared, seeing it before him. "Now to CRUSH it!"

"Stop right there!" Brody called out as the team arrived on the scene, skidding their bikes to a halt. They all got off, making their way towards him. As Drillion turned around, they all skidded to a halt. They had faced him once before, and with the exception of Galvanax himself, whom they had only barely survived fighting by virtue of some serious good luck, Drillion had handed them their most punishing beating by a long chalk. They had only just gotten their weapons back after some of them had been destroyed.

"Oh…I forgot how big this guy was." Preston gulped.

"I…I saw the readings, but until I saw it with my own eyes, I couldn't believe he was back on his feet." Hayley remarked.

"Wait, is that a tool box he has on his hand now?" Calvin asked, pointing to his new weapon.

"Guys, we need to focus here." Sarah reminded them. "Until Mick figures out how to get that Zord Star working, we have to protect the Lion Ship, otherwise the Princess will never be able to go home."

"Hey, furball!" Brody called out. "We're not letting you touch that ship!" Drillion just burst out laughing, which only served to anger the team. It was one thing being beaten by an opponent, it was quite another to be beaten by an arrogant opponent who would gloat about it.

"Let me? Do you think anyone 'Let me' do anything?" Drillion laughed at their expense. "Don't you remember what happened last time? Now thanks to Madame Odious' upgrade I'm stronger than ever!"

"Stronger than ever?" Sarah whispered to the team. "That's…not good!"

"Oh yeah!" Preston called out. "Well, things are going to be different this time around!"

"You know what? I don't feel much like talking anymore!" Drillion told them, at which his new weapon started to glow. "I think instead I'll just destroy you, then turn her ship into scrap!"

The Rangers barely morphed in time to protect themselves as the first attack hit, scattering them all over the valley. Calvin started coughing as he got up.

"Did he just throw a whole bunch of tools at us?" He asked.

"At least now we know what to look for!" Brody called back, pulling out his Ninja Sword. "Come on guys, we can do this!"

Up on the Warrior Dome, Cosmo was striding through the corridors, just getting dressed as Wrench came up to him with a tablet. He had picked up the power signatures from the ground and had figured out that Drillion had gone down to Earth prematurely. He had contacted Cosmo right away.

"What is he doing? How did he get off the ship?" Cosmo asked him. "I didn't authorise any teleportation…"

"Cosmo, I just checked, none of the ship's teleporters were activated, Drillion must have brought his own!" Wrench told him as he showed him the tablet. "I picked up his energy signatures on Earth a short time ago and…"

"I can't see anything, why can't I see anything?" Cosmo asked him.

"He…he went down unauthorised, so there aren't any Buzz-Cams…"

"THERE ARE NO CAMERAS!" Cosmo shrieked. "This is TELEVISION Wrench! Why are there no Buzz-Cams?"

"I deployed them as soon as I verified it was Drillion!" Wrench snivelled as he shied away, keenly aware of the threat Cosmo had made once to put Wrench on the show. He had seemed even more keen to do it now he had heard of Wrench's upgrades, and right now Wrench was working hard to make sure he stayed firmly on the side of the camera that didn't end up with him getting shot at by convincing Cosmo he was still more valuable in production. "They should be there within…ninety seconds!"

"Alright, that's a start!" Cosmo answered. "Get on the communicator to all the networks that carry us and tell them we're going live. I don't care who you have to threaten but tell ALL of them I want them broadcasting the second I have a footage rolling!"

"Got it sir!" Wrench replied, opening a panel on his arm and starting to work on his communicator.

"What about the studio audience?" Cosmo asked. "Have you got an audience for me to play off?"

"Uh…kind of." Wrench stated.

"What do you mean 'kind of'?" Cosmo asked him.

"Well…at such short notice and being on a midweek day when a lot of people are working…"

"Spit it out Wrench, spit it out!" Cosmo snapped at him.

"It…um…" He steeled himself for the next part. "It's mostly slaves."

"Slaves?" Cosmo asked.

"Maintenance, cleaning, catering, even some from production that didn't have anything better to do." Wrench told him. He could see Cosmo's face starting to flash red. "I did the best I could! Not many people are available at this time of…"

"So, my ENTIRE audience is papered?" He screeched. To say that a crowd had been 'papered' meant that it was made up mainly of complimentary tickets hurriedly given out at the last minute in order to make sure an event such as a concert or fight would not play to an empty arena. Arena sports especially had used this tactic since the advent of television in order to make the product seem more popular than it actually was. Papering a crowd was usually a desperate tactic when a large audience was needed in a hurry as it meant a significant hit to the gate. "I swear this is coming right out of Drillion's fight purse!"

As he strode onto the stage, Wrench continued to work his communicator.

"Yeah, because I'm sure he cares so much about that." Wrench grumbled. "Put me onto the network President right away!"

Cosmo strode out onto the stage, finding his entire house was indeed full of creatures in overalls marking them as his 'employees'. The fact there were kudabot guards still shoving them into seats indicated most of them were not even given much of a choice in the matter.

"Ladies and gentlemonsters! We have a VERY special broadcast for you all! It seems that Lord Drillion has somewhat jumped the gun and started his battle with the Rangers a little early!" Cosmo announced over his microphone. "Now, as you know the most important thing on Galaxy Warriors is, of course, you our loyal fans, so we are working diligently to bring you live footage right as we…"

The footage started, but because the fight was already underway, some of the angles were a little chaotic and shaky as the cameras still had to take up proper positions and were still flying around. Explosions were already sounding and he could see the Rangers being bounced around the valley with powerful attacks.

"Well, what do you know? Lord Drillion is on fire and the Rangers stone-cold stink!" Cosmo said as he interrupted his own introduction. "It seems that the action is fast and furious today folks, don't you DARE turn away for a moment or you may miss something legendary!"

Over in the workshop, Mick and Redbot were watching the battle on the monitor, feeling every single attack that struck the Rangers as they fought valiantly against Lord Drillion and his seemingly unstoppable new power. None of them seemed to manage anything close to a significant attack, while in response Drillion seemed to be toying with them, picking them off at leisure with a constant barrage of Allen keys, pliers, screwdrivers and wrenches.

"Mick, we REALLY need that Zord Star!" Brody called through the communicator. "I don't know how much longer we can take this!"

"Don't worry, help is on its way." Viera stated. Mick and Redbot turned to see her strapping on her Lion Fire Armour, positioning her helmet.

"Viera, what do you think you're doing?" Mick asked her.

"The Rangers are in danger because of me." She told him. "I brought this fight to your planet. I brought Drillion here, it's up to me to stop him!"

"Princess, with all due respect, you can fight, but Drillion is a force of nature! He's destroyed entire armies by himself!" Mick told her. "If you go out there…"

"If I go out there, I risk no less than the Rangers." She told him.

"Princess, if you go out there, you could be killed." Mick told her.

"Then I guess one way or another, I will repay what I owe your world." She answered. "I cannot stand here and do nothing while…"

"Mick, look!" Redbot called out as the Nexus Prism started to spin and glow. Mick, Viera and Redbot all stared at it as it came to life. For whatever reason, it had waited until now to activate. Not wanting to miss his opportunity, Mick picked up the prepared Power Star and threw it into the Nexus Prism. The star sank in at which the Prism stared to spin faster and glow more brightly.

"It's working, it's working!" Mick called out, preparing to catch the returning star. However, he was surprised as the star instead launched straight past him, slamming into Viera and carrying her across the room, slamming her against the wall. She looked to the star lodged in her breast plate as it started to glow, before in a flash of light, her Lion Fire Armour disappeared.

"What…what happened?" She asked. "Where's my armour?"

"Uh…" Was the most intelligent response Mick could come up with. He never did claim to understand how the Prism worked or what the thought behind its actions were, but this once had him well and truly stumped. Viera picked up a red and yellow star from the floor, staring at it.

"Is…is this it?" She asked.

"I…I think it might have something else in mind." Mick told her as he got onto his Ninja-Comm. "Brody, how are things going there?"

"Not good!" Brody admitted. "We're just about done!"

"I have something I'm sending your way." Mick told him.

"The Zord Star? You made it?" He asked. "That's not a moment too soon Mick!"

"It's…something alright." Mick gulped as he ran out into the yard. "Head's up, it's coming in hot!"

With that, he threw it high into the air, at which it zoomed off to the site of the battle.

Back in the valley, the Rangers were trying to buy time.

"Guys, Mick's sending the Zord Star our way!" Brody called out. "Just give me a few more seconds!"

"That's easier said than DONE!" Calvin said as he and Hayley attacked Drillion with their morphers in claw mode. Drillion blocked their attacks, before a point-blank blast sent both of them flying several feet. They both hit the ground and stopped moving, before de-morphing in a flash of light.

"We have to keep him away from them!" Levi screamed as he opened fire with his Rockstar Blaster, strafing back and forth to avoid the return fire. He launched a lightning attack, but Drillion just seemed to catch it.

"Thankfully Odious saw fit to insulate this thing!" He laughed. "Let's see how YOU like it!"

He threw the attack back, which hit both Levi and Preston. They both hit the ground, also de-morphing. Sarah put the Ninja Fusion Star into her Ninja Sword, calling on the power of all five of the Elements as she surged through Drillion's attack.

Knowing she was the last Ranger on her feet while Brody waited on the Zord Star, she gritted her teeth and put her head down as she rushed through the storm of tools flying straight into her, sparking off her suit as they struck her. Her helmet was already flashing a low power warning indicating she was in imminent danger of her suit failing her as she got to him. She slashed downwards across Drillion, before spinning and slashing across his abdomen. It shook him, but it was unfortunately not enough. He smashed into her with his toolbox arm, knocking her out of her morphed form and onto the ground, where she writhed in pain.

"That HURT!" He screamed at her.

"It…wasn't…meant…to…tickle." She gasped out in laboured breaths. He reached up with his claws, preparing to strike Sarah as she cowered behind her hands.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Preston screamed as he ran at Drillion, unmorphed. He got between him and Sarah, but he just stopped deathly still. The Rangers all watched in horror as he turned towards them. He had a horrific wound on his abdomen, and he clutched at it as blood streamed between his fingers. He fell to his knees, and then to his side, unmoving.

"PRESTON!" Sarah screamed as she grabbed him. Brody looked up to see the new Ninja Star arriving, but instead of going to his hand, it latched onto his morpher. Brody tried to remove it, but it seemed to be stuck there.

"Brody! Preston's down!" Sarah screamed at him, her tears streaming down her face. Brody knew he didn't have time to figure out why the Zord Star was acting so strangely. He also no longer had the time to wait on Drillion escalating the battle. With Preston's life hanging in the balance, he needed to wheel out the big guns as quickly as possible and end the fight so they could get Preston back to the base and treat him.

He grabbed the star on his wrist and started it spinning.

"Lion Fire, Ninja SPIN!" Brody called out. The team all crowded around their fallen comrade, hoping to take him away as soon as Brody ended the threat, but while they were waiting for the Lion Ship to come to life, something else happened instead. Brody was engulfed in a blinding white light. Everyone, including Drillion was forced to shield their eyes. As the light dissipated, everyone fell silent.

Brody looked down at his hands, seeing they were now covered with bright, red gauntlets. Looking down, his body was encased in armour, Viera's armour! His helmet flashed up a display showing his power levels jumping to levels he had never seen before. He looked up to Drillion, feeling nothing but rage for the pain he had caused his friends.

"You're in for it now Drillion! You're going to pay for every drop of blood you've spilled!" Brody announced. "Out of the fire and into the fight, LION FIRE RED!"

"WHAT? You, a mere human, have control of the Lion Fire Armour?" Drillion screamed. "IMPOSSIBLE!"

Back in the base, Mick, Redbot and Viera all stood, unable to believe what they were seeing on the screen.

"I…I don't understand, I thought the star was for my ship." She stated. Mick thought about it for a moment.

"You…you wanted to help." Mick answered. "The Prism activated after you were prepared to go out and fight for the Rangers."

He turned and looked straight to Viera. She was a small, and young woman, one that had a terrible legacy before her, but when it mattered, she had been prepared to fight, even knowing that it could likely mean she would die for a planet, for a people, that were not even hers.

"I…I never believed that you could be so different from your family." Mick said to her. "I've hated your family for over twenty years, but when it mattered, you were there for mine. Please, accept my apology…Your Highness."

"I will, if you will accept mine." Viera answered. Mick just nodded his head, before he got onto the communicator.

"Brody, I'm going to get to work on the Zord Star." Mick told him. "Show that overgrown stray what the Lion Fire Armour can do!"

"With pleasure!" Brody answered.

Up on the Warrior Dome, the whole audience was silent. Cosmo waved Wrench over. Wrench ran onto the stage.

"Wrench, call marketing RIGHT NOW!" He told him. "I want merchandise working on that RIGHT AWAY!"


	20. What Happens To Old Lions?

The valley was still silent as Brody faced off across from Drillion. His friends were all gathered around Preston, who had suffered a horrific wound at Drillion's hands. He was still bleeding profusely, and Brody couldn't tell whether or not he was still conscious. His focus, however, was locked right on Drillion.

"Take Preston and get out of here." Brody told them.

"Brody, you can't…"

"Preston needs help! Get him back to the base, NOW!" Brody told them as his in-helmet display went haywire, displaying power levels he didn't think were even possible outside of a Zord. The Rangers grabbed Preston and started to carry him away. "You're in for it now Drillion, because this armour is hot, RED HOT!"

He flared up his power, causing a red glow that was so bright and so hot that the ground beneath him started to crack up. He levelled his weapon Brody's way.

"Lion Fire SPRINT!" Brody called out. As soon as he channelled the power of his armour into him, everything seemed to slow down. He could see Drillion lifting his arm to attack, but it looked like he was moving through molasses. Brody got right up to him before he could even fire off a shot. "Think fast!"

Brody punched Drillion so hard, he flew into the side of a mountain and imbedded right into the rock. Brody just stared at his fist. The power was incredible, it was unlike anything he had ever felt before. He looked back up to see Drillion just starting to stagger out of the hole in the mountain, trying to get his bearings. Brody was quickly right in front of him.

"Viera says hello!" He taunted Drillion as he allowed him to get back up. Drillion's swings went wide, moving so slowly by comparison to Brody that it was as simple as trying to dodge a tree. He slammed fists into Drillion everywhere he could land one at first, but then beginning to pick his targets, aiming for the vulnerable targets he had trained to strike, the solar plexus and the floating ribs, the kidneys and the temple. He was picking his spots on Drillion, clinically dissecting him blow by blow until he punched him backwards, this time straight through the mountain. Drillion just looked up to him in fear as Brody stood before him.

"I…I…I call for quarter!" Drillion stammered out, his toolbox hand behind his back where he was powering it up. "I know when I've been defeated, please…I beg for my life."

"You! YOU have the nerve to beg for your life?" Brody asked him coldly. "How many have asked the same of you? How many people pleaded for mercy from you?"

"Please, I beg you…I'll leave the Earth and never return, I promise you!" He stated as he powered up the tool box to its maximum strength. "I was wrong, just please, spare me!"

"That might mean more coming from you if you weren't trying to hide your weapon?" Brody called out as Drillion pulled it out and started to unleash its power. He dodged through its attack, avoiding all the tools, before striking Drillion down once more. "Do you think I was born yesterday? That's one of the first lessons I learned! NEVER take your eyes off an opponent!"

Up on the Warrior Dome, Cosmo was watching the battle, but while he was seeing Drillion now being pummelled, he was also seeing cash registers chiming away.

"Oh no! It looks like Lion Fire Red is now the sharpest tool in the shed!" Cosmo called out as he saw his audience becoming animated. He got onto his ear piece to Wrench. "Wrench, tell me the cameras are getting all of this!"

"They're recording live as we speak." Wrench told him.

"Alright, I want full scans of EVERYTHING." He told him. "Measurements, patterns, colours, everything and wire them directly to marketing. I want to see 12.5 cm action figures of this thing on shelves by the weekend!"

"I'll get right on it!" Wrench told him, beginning to set the Buzz-Cams to work on getting all the information that their toy company would need to prepare their latest product.

Down at the Ranger Base, Viera was watching the battle unfolding as Mick and Redbot continued to try and figure out how the last Ninja Star could be made into a Zord Star. They were interrupted as the entrance opened and the Rangers came in, carrying Preston's body. He groaned as they brought him in, and his clothes, along with most of the others, were now covered in blood.

"PRESTON!" Redbot called out as he swept items off one of the tables. "Bring him over here!"

Preston let out a long groan as they put him up on the table. Sarah was hanging onto his hand, squeezing it tightly as they did so, tears streaming down her face.

"Preston, take it easy alright? We've got you!" Calvin said in a reassuring tone, not quite sure if he was trying more to convince Preston, himself, or the others. "Mick, we need help here!"

"Alright, Preston, I know it's hard, but I'm going to need to see what I'm dealing with." Mick told him. "I need you to remove your hand from your stomach."

"But he'll bleed faster…"

"Hayley, I know what I'm doing! I can't treat his injury if I can't see what I'm doing!" Mick told her. "Redbot, lose the shirt!"

Redbot grabbed Preston's shirt and tore it open with ease. Mick directed the others around him.

"Levi, get his legs, Hayley, Calvin, hold his arms." Mick told them. "Sarah…"

He could see that Sarah wasn't listening. She could only look on in horror at Preston as he lay on the table, bleeding at an alarming rate.

"SARAH!" Mick barked at him. "Stand over by his head! Talk to him, but I need you to stay out of the way! I need room to work!"

Sarah just nodded and went to Preston's head, cradling it in her hands. Mick got his first aid kit and opened it up, pulling out a bottle of cleaning solution.

"Alright, let's see what we have going on here." He said, taking a deep breath.

Back at the site of the battle, Brody was seemingly alone in the valley, having blasted Drillion through a mountain with one of his attacks. He knew better than just to assume that he was gone, if he had been blown up, he was sure that Cosmo would likely have gigantified him by now, and despite his pretence of surrender, he doubted that Drillion was the kind to limp away with his tail between his legs. He looked around, his eyes darting this way and that as he looked for his opponent. He felt a rumble only a short time before he erupted out of the ground.

"Surprise!" Drillion called out as he grabbed Brody, slamming his weapon into him a few times, before throwing him away. Brody flipped with the throw, coming to land in a crouch some distance away. Drillion powered up his weapon to the maximum setting and opened it up fully, unleashing everything it had. Brody could see all sorts of tools flying towards him, but he was determined to put an end to Drillion once and for all.

He punched a few of the tools out of the air, swatting them harmlessly aside, before reaching to his wrist as he saw his morpher glowing. He took aim as his suit informed him of his new power, unleashing blasts from his morpher that knocked all of the remaining tools out of the air. Brody saw Drillion standing, struggling with his weapon, trying to get it ready for another attack. He reached to his back, where his Ninja Sword now rested in a scabbard, and rushed towards him.

"From now on, you'll need to call a HANDYMAN!" Brody yelled as he powered up his blade, slicing the weapon clean off his wrist. He blocked Drillion's attempts at return blows. "And for what you did to Preston, it's time you were DECLAWED!"

His blade glowed brightly as he swung for his other arm, slicing through it in one blow. Drillion could only watch in horror as he lost his one remaining hand, which spun away from him, landing on the ground. He fell to his knees before the Red Ranger. Brody took the Power Star from his wrist, which only now allowed itself to be detached. He moved it to his Ninja Sword, snapping it in place.

"Lion Fire Armour Star, Lock in! Do you know what happens to old lions?" Brody asked him as his sword burst into flames. "Sooner or later a younger lion takes them out! Lion Flame strike!"

His sword grew many times its normal length, until it was larger even than Brody himself, but the strength of the armour still allowed him to swing it with ease. The flames engulfing it intensified as he wound up his strike, before bringing it down in a downward ark, slicing Drillion from skull to crotch in one blow. He started to spark as he fell forward, before exploding. Brody looked around for a nearby camera and stared straight into it. "That was four you, Princess Viera, thanks for the help! Show's over, Ninjas WIN!"

Back at the Ranger Base, things were not looking good as Mick tried to see what he was doing. The bleeding was so bad that even using cleaning solution only gave him short glances at what he was looking at before his view was obscured with blood again.

"What's happening?" Sarah screamed at him.

"It's deep, it's…really deep!" Mick said as he used more cleaning solution. All of a sudden, the colour drained out of his face. "Oh shit."

"What?" Hayley asked. "What is it?"

"Drillion's hit his liver." Mick told them. "I can't do anything here, he needs a hospital!"

"A hospital?" Levi asked. "Mick…"

"I don't have the means to treat this here, he needs surgery and he needs it now…if…if it isn't already too late." Mick gulped.

"Too late?" Hayley asked him.

"Look at this place, it's like a horror movie." Mick told them. "He's already lost so much blood…I don't know if he'll survive the journey."

"No! NO! NO!" Sarah screamed as she held onto him.

"Sarah, we need to…"

"NO!" She screamed one more time, before there was a bright glow surrounding them both. Sarah let out a hellish scream that had split the whole room. She was completely engulfed in it, but as they watched on, something started to happen.

"Preston!" Calvin called out, pointing to his wound. "Guys, look!"

Preston's injury started to close up before their very eyes, healing in moments what would likely take weeks, even months following a successful surgery. Hayley pointed up to Sarah.

"SARAH!"

The Pink Ranger continued to scream as the light bathed the room. They watched as long, deep cuts opened up on Sarah's face, they saw blood seeping into her clothes and assumed the same had to be happening to her body. As Preston's injury finally completely closed, the light dissipated, and Sarah's eyes rolled into the back of her head, before she fell towards the floor. Levi was quick enough to catch her before she hit the ground. They all saw that her cuts were starting to heal, although much more slowly than Preston's. Calvin just blinked.

"OK…what the HELL was that?" He asked.

"Um…" Was as intelligent an answer as Mick could offer right now.

"The Prism!" Viera called out, seeing that it was now glowing again. She grabbed the Ninja Star, throwing it into the Nexus Prism. It fired the star back out again as a newly formed Zord Star. Viera caught it and looked to the others.

"It worked!" She gasped. "It really worked!"

"Not a moment too soon!" Calvin answered, pointing to the screen. "It looks like Cosmo's taking this super-size!"

Mick ran outside with the Zord Star, getting onto his Ninja Comm.

"Brody, we have the Zord Star!" He informed him. "Head's up, it's coming in FAST!"

With that, he launched it into the air.

Back in the valley, Brody dodged as Drillion tried to use his superior size to crush him before he had a chance to call in any support. Brody returned fire with the Lion Fire Armour, but even with its power levels, he was still only a single mis-step from becoming a pancake.

"My upgrades are back!" Drillion screamed triumphantly. "Once I've dealt with you, I'll take care of all your friends!"

"I don't think so!" Brody said as he saw the new Zord Star hitting the Lion Ship. It started to power up and come to life. Sensing that danger was nearby, it opened fire, knocking Drillion off his feet. Brody ran and leapt into the new Lion Fire Megazord, finding himself in the cockpit. He could feel all the systems coming alive at his touch, and the operating system started to feed directly into him. He powered up the tracks, which clawed into the earth and dragged the ship from its resting place in the mountain. "You see, I just got a shiny new Zord!"

"It's a shame I have to wreck it!" Drillion answered, firing back at it. His attacks exploded and rebounded off it as the Lion Ship advanced on him.

"Is that the best you've got?" Brody asked him. "Because I'm just getting started! Lion Fire Megazord, Power UP!"

The Lion Ship started to re-shape and formed up into a Megazord, much larger than any of the Rangers had ever seen. It towered far above Drillion, even in his gigantified state. Brody found his command chair lowering from the cockpit down into the Lion Fire Megazord's chest. The position felt exposed, but it offered him a fantastic view of the field, and meant it was unlikely he was going to miss something that wasn't straight in front of him.

Drillion powered up his weapon and fired it right for the Megazord, but it just strode forward through the attack, the blows doing little to even slow it down. Brody hacked into him with his weapons, way more times than was necessary. He could see that Drillion was now massively over-powered and had little hope of escaping this battle with his life. Brody paused as he looked to Drillion.

"You offered to surrender once before, this time I'm hoping you mean it." Brody told him. "Let me destroy your weapons and leave this planed for good and I'll spare your life!"

"My life is not for some teenage HUMAN to give or take!" He screamed incredulously, getting back to his feet and powering up. "I am Lord Drillion, rightful ruler of the Lion Galaxy!"

"Then you leave me no choice." Brody told him as the Lion Fire Megazord once more took on its ship form. He stood atop it, his sword glowing brightly. "Lion Fire, SLASH! Final STRIKE!"

He stopped on the other side of Drillion, who exploded before he hit the ground. Brody sheathed his sword as he powered down the Megazord.

"Show's over, Ninjas Win!" He announced.

Brody rushed back to the school, heading straight for the Ranger Base. He had left them to tend to Preston, and while he had to focus on Drillion, the Blue Ranger's plight was never far from his mind. He skidded as he got to the Ranger Base.

"How is he?" Brody rushed out, seeing that Redbot was just finishing mopping up blood. "Where's Preston?"

"I'm right here." Preston greeted him. Brody had to do a double-take as he saw that Preston was standing up, and by the looks of things, he appeared to be absolutely fine! He had even changed into some fresh clothes like the others so he looked like nothing had ever happened! It was impossible to imagine that only minutes before he'd been ripped open like a Christmas present. Brody just pointed to him and noted that it was Sarah who was lying under a sheet on the table.

"Um…how?...What?...Huh?" He mumbled out as he saw this.

"That was pretty much our reaction too." Hayley told him. "I don't even know what happened! Sarah grabbed him, and then there was this light and then…Mick? Any ideas?"

"I think it's down to the Ninja Steel." Mick told them.

"Well, we figured that much out." Calvin answered. "But…what was it?"

"Guys, she's waking up." Preston told them. He looked down to Sarah as she stirred. The cuts on her face and body were now barely more than scratches on her skin, but they were still visible. She blinked a little as she came to.

"Hey." She greeted him with a smile.

"Hey." He said back. "Are you feeling alright? You really scared us."

"You scared me first." She said weakly, before looking around. "What happened?"

"Mick was just about to tell us." Hayley answered.

"You know how the Ninja Steel accentuates one of your natural gifts to new heights? You know, like Brody's capacity for learning Martial Arts or Hayley's desire to communicate or Preston's love of magic?"

"Yeah?" Brody asked.

"Well, the reason I never suspected that we hadn't seen anything obvious from Sarah was because I thought it was a less obvious gift, like Calvin's mechanical skills." Mick told them. "I thought it was connected to Sarah's passion for science and engineering."

"I thought it was too." Hayley commented. "I mean, she's come up with some pretty wild inventions for us."

"But that wasn't the most central of Sarah's personal traits." Mick told them.

"So, what was?" Calvin asked.

"Empathy." Viera answered. Everyone looked to her, but Mick just pointed to indicate she had got the answer. "Sarah's ability to see things from another person's perspective and understand their pain is the reason she's able to see the good in everyone, even someone that she has no reason to trust or believe, like me."

"Empathy is the ability to take on the pain or feelings of another." Mick told them. "In Sarah's case, I think she can do that…quite literally."

"You mean…"

"I mean when Preston was hurt, her power flared up and she took his pain into herself." Mick told them. "You know all of your Morphers help you heal faster, well, the Pink Ranger always healed at a slightly faster rate. At first, I thought it was just a unique function of the Pink Morpher, but it seems like it's…kind of a compensator for the fact that she can risk herself to take on more than just her own injuries."

"You hear that?" Sarah asked as she looked to Preston and smiled. "I saved your ass by trading it for mine."

"Yeah, and you risked your life into the bargain." Preston answered, grabbing Sarah into an incredibly tight hug. "I appreciate the save, but please…please don't do anything like that again!"

"That's not a promise I can make." Sarah told him as she squeezed him tightly. Mick looked around.

"Well…unfortunately we still have the small matter of school." He told them.

"WHAT?" They all called out.

"Mick…we've been through a huge battle…"

"And unless you all want an unexplained absence on your permanent records, you all need to get to class pronto." Mick told them. "A tardy slip is better than an unexplained absence."

"Man, we just saved the world and we tardy slip for our efforts?" Hayley whined. "Sometimes being a Ranger sucks!"

"I don't know." Preston said with a grin as he held Sarah. "Right now, I'd say it feels pretty damn good!"


	21. Game of Dethrones

Up on the Warrior Dome, Wrench was nervously looking around the ship for Cosmo. He had disappeared straight after the broadcast. Thanks to Galvanax's prodding, Drillion had gone to Earth a day early, which had meant his show had been rather hastily put together to say the least. His "audience" was whatever slaves his kudabots could find not doing anything more important and force into the studio, and he'd had to call in a lot of favours, and more than a few threats to his various networks to put through his broadcast without him being able to do anything to advertise and promote it. Wrench didn't even need to look at the numbers to know that they'd be massively down on the expected number, but when he had seen them, he was terrified.

Cosmo lived and died by his ratings. He had made it abundantly clear on many occasions that he held little regard for anyone around him and would sell any of them out the moment that it became in his best interests to do so. Wrench eventually found him in one of his art departments, standing with some people doing sketches and computer mock ups of the Lion Ship and the Lion Fire Armour. The central computer was working up a 3D holographic image of the Red Lion Fire Warrior.

"No, no, no! That's not right at all! I want the gold to REALLY pop!" He said, looking over the hologram.

"Sir, I'd need a different blend for the paint, one that costs twenty percent more..."

"I don't care! I want this thing to really jump at people and smack them in the face! I want this thing to look like the kind of thing kids and adults alike will want on their mantle piece! I want it on office desks all over the universe!" Cosmo told him. "Let me see the mock up!"

The slave sighed and made the alterations. Cosmo just smiled.

"Now that...THAT is the kind of thing I want to see rolling off the production line!" He told him. "I want the first mock up on my desk by the end of the day! Ah, Wrench my boy! There you are, you're a hard cyborg to find!"

"I...I have some figures..."

"Oh, I love figures; you know how much I love figures." Cosmo told him, taking the tablet from him and throwing it across the room where it shattered against the wall. "Come to the office, come, let's walk!"

Wrench shifted a little uneasily as Cosmo slipped his arm around him and walked with him. Cosmo took the term 'two-faced' to a whole different universe. Cosmo had for the most part liked Wrench, and had been friendly with him, but Wrench couldn't help remembering the fact that he had warned him about the fact he knew about Odious' secret lab, and more importantly for Wrench, the fact that Wrench had found out about it and didn't tell him. He couldn't help thinking about all the upgrades he'd had installed on Cosmo's dime and how Cosmo had hinted at remembering that Wrench had a certain amount of history with the Pink Ranger. Cosmo's affection was like that of a father when he turned it on, and on the surface it was always great to see him in a good mood as good things happened when he liked someone, but through observation, Wrench had seen that Cosmo was as willing to give someone a warm hug and call them family to someone he was about to promote as someone he'd gladly send to their doom.

"About the broadcast..."

"Oh, Wrench, you really are all business aren't you? You need to relax, stop and smell the roses once in a while! We need to enjoy our successes when they come!"

"S...s...suc...successes?" Wrench asked. He knew better than to think that Cosmo didn't already know the viewing figures. Virtually NOTHING happened on the ship without Comso knowing, and Wrench's report that Cosmo asked for was more of a formality than anything else. To say the ratings had been a disaster would be an understatement. Broadcasting in the middle of the day when most were working and with no warning so that no one could record it had a marked effect.

"Wrench my boy; you should always look for the silver lining!" Cosmo told him, taking him into his office. The door closed behind him and Cosmo took of his coat, hanging it up, before heading for his desk and tapping in a few keys to place an order. "That Lion Fire Warrior is something else!"

"But...but...almost no one saw it!" Wrench reminded him. "And Princess Vera is almost certain to return to the Lion Galaxy now, which means she'll be taking her ship and her armour with her!"

"Exactly, so it's a one-off! Do you know what that says to me Wrench?" He asked, taking a seat as a cigar and a brandy appeared on his desk. He took the cigar and lit it, beginning to puff away as he crossed his feet up on the desk. He held his hands up as though holding up a sign for emphasis. "Special Collector's Edition!"

"But...but..."

"We'll be showing re-runs of the Drillion battle beginning with the usual Friday slot." Cosmo told him. Wrench almost collapsed hearing this.

"A...A re-run?" He stammered. "You've NEVER shown a re-run in the main broadcast slot! People will..."

"Don't you think I KNOW how mad people will be? The Internet is a thing and by now that battle's been broadcast for free to the entire fucking UNIVERSE!" Cosmo screamed at him, before slipping back into a smile. "I'll show re-runs regularly through the week, hype the toy; get my losses back that way. I may have been denied my viewing figures, but I will NOT be denied my merchandise cash cow!"

Just then, the door opened as Madame Odious strolled in. Cosmo closed the door behind her, before pressing a privacy button, effectively cutting off all sound from leaving the room and all communications. Wrench could tell whatever was going to be said was not to go beyond the three of them.

"You summoned me?" She asked.

"Yes, I wanted to discuss something with you." Wrench began. "Your client has cost me, and this company a great deal with that little stunt he pulled with Drillion."

"Galvanax is a loose cannon, its part of his charm." Odious said in an off-hand way with a shrug. "It's one of the reasons the audience love him, they never know what they're going to see or hear."

"This isn't the first time Odious, and while at first his gates were enough to justify a little bit of leeway, it's now starting to cost more than it's worth!" Cosmo said as he took his feet off the desk and took a sip of his brandy. "His bloated contract is the most expensive on the ship by a long margin, and his behaviour is now making it more and more difficult to justify that."

Wrench looked between them both, uncertain where to stand. His instincts were to go with Cosmo, who had most of the power and had done the most for him on the ship, but anything that put him in the path of Galvanax needed more than just second or even third thoughts. Odious went to a trophy case; picking up one of Cosmo's many awards and turned it over in her hands.

"I have to admit, he is getting a little difficult to manage." She commented.

Wrench had to do a double-take as he heard this.

"I have younger fighters, hungrier fighters...CHEAPER fighters, that are starting to look promising." She stated. "Galvanax is the champion, but most of his recent bouts have been rather...one-sided. There is only so long that audiences like to watch squash everyone."

"Wait...what?" Wrench asked. Cosmo smiled as he sat forward, resting his elbows on his desk.

"There comes a time when everyone becomes a little stale. Maybe it's time to see some fresh faces at the top." He commented with a smile. "Nothing lasts forever."

As Madame Odious pulled up a chair, Wrench did the same. He could hardly believe what he was becoming a part of. He knew that Galvanax was troublesome, hell; he had worked for Sledge for millions of years so he had seen a lot of that mentality, but listening to his manager and Cosmo talking, one thing was clear. They had determined that he was no longer worth the trouble. Galvanax's days were numbered, and he didn't even know it!

Down on Earth, the Rangers barely managed to drag themselves through the day. Between their early start and the huge battle, exhaustion meant that school was precisely the last thing that any of them felt like doing, but they all accepted this was just the price of a secret identity. They were fortunate in that they managed to avoid too many negative consequences, it turned out having two teachers on the team who could hastily write out tardy slips meant that none of them had to endure more than a lecture on the responsibility of time-keeping, but none of their permanent records would be affected.

By the time they got to lunch time, even the school canteen seemed like a luxury hotel suite! They managed to get a table and all slumped down into their seats, completely spent and glad to just get a little time where they had nothing better to do.

"I...cannot...be bothered...moving!" Calvin breathed as he looked to Hayley. "I can't even be bothered getting up to go for food."

"We know its bad then." Viera chuckled. The rest of the team laughed weakly as well. For Calvin to skip a meal was pretty much unknown.

"Why doesn't this place do table service?" Calvin asked.

"I guess that's a matter for the President to bring up." Preston said with a shrug. "Maybe someone can make that a campaign promise."

"I don't think that's the kind of thing that counts as an essential change to the school." Hayley commented.

"It's the kind of thing that wins elections though." Sarah added. "Right now, I would gladly give anything not to have to move for the next hour!"

Meanwhile, a little way off, just at the door to the canteen, Victor was watching and keeping an eye on things. He saw the team at their table and smiled.

"Alright Monty, there she is." He said.

"I...I'm really not sure about this." Monty said in response. Victor tried to see where he was, but couldn't see him. He just rolled his eyes.

"Come on Monty, now's not the time to chicken out!" Victor told him. "We've been through this!"

"I don't know..."

"Come on, we've been through this!" Victor said, grabbing his hand and yanking him from his hiding place. Monty was dressed a lot more formally than normal. He was actually wearing a full suit, something of a departure from the usual casual clothing of American schools. He had a purple tie and cummerbund over a black shirt, and black suit. He was wearing shoes shined to a mirror finish. "Where are they?"

"Um..."

"For goodness sake Monty!" Victor said, going into Monty's bag and pulling out a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates. He handed them to his friend. "Fortune favours the bold! Have a little confidence in yourself!"

"But...but she's so pretty and wonderful..."

"And you have a lot to offer, Monty!" He straightened out Monty's jacket and his tie. "Now, we practiced this, you know what to say right?"

"Hi, Viera, would you like to go to the fair with me?" Monty said, parroting the line Victor had been coaching him on. Victor had figured given Monty's nervous disposition and tendency to babble, even when he was talking about things he was confident about that it was best to just keep it simple. He smiled.

"Perfect!" Victor told him. "Now, there she is, go and get her!"

Monty took a big, deep breath and headed through the door. Victor just stood by the door and watched.

"They grow up so fast!" He commented as he watched Monty go into the canteen, cautiously making his way through the crowd. Monty quickly found Viera and the others in the corner and steeled himself, beginning to head over. He was most of the way there when he stumbled a little, almost falling. He looked around to see Ace and his friends at a table.

"Enjoy your trip?" He asked. "I see you don't have either of your bodyguards with you."

"Leave me alone Ace, I'm really not in the mood!" Monty told him. Ace got up, but as he did so, he noticed the way Monty was dressed and saw the gifts in his hands.

"Wait...what's with the get up?" He asked.

"Well...I...uh..."

"Oh, this is rich!" He laughed as he saw this. "Are you asking someone out?"

"Not that it's any of your business..."

"Who in their right mind would want someone like you?" He asked, slapping the chocolates out of his hands. He pulled the flowers out of his hand and tossed them on the ground too. Monty could see that people were staring now, including Viera. The commotion had quickly become the focus of the canteen. He could see Victor starting to try and make his way through, but people were already gathering around, waiting for a fight.

Looking to Viera, Monty suddenly tensed right up, and he stared straight at Ace.

"You know what Ace? I am sick of your bullshit!" Monty snapped at him. The whole room went silent. Ace just stared at him in amazement.

"What did you just say to me?" Ace asked him in shock.

"I'm sick of it Ace! I'm sick of always looking over my shoulder, I'm sick of always feeling afraid any time I'm on my own! This is not your school, this is OUR school! We ALL have a right to be here!"

"You don't get to say anything to me after what you pulled..."

"I am so damn SICK of you holding that over me Ace! I've HAD IT!" Monty screamed at him. "I messed up, I messed up badly, and someone could have been seriously hurt or worse because of what I did, but you know what? I am not going to spend my whole life apologising for one bad thing that I did Ace!"

"You have a long time..."

"We're both Juniors Ace!" Monty yelled at him. "You might 'own' this school now, but in two years, I'm out of here! We'll probably never even see each other again, but that doesn't mean for the next two years I'm going to put up with you terrorising me because your own life is so pathetic that this is probably the best you'll ever have it!"

"You little shit, I'm going to..."

"You're going to do WHAT Ace? You're going to beat me up? Shove me down? Stuff me in a garbage can...then GO AHEAD!"

"That last one sounds like a good idea." Ace said with a smirk as he grabbed Monty and picked him up, dumping him in a trash can. There were some laughs, but as Monty kicked his legs, until the trash can fell over. He pulled himself up and got right back in Ace's face.

"Alright, you've done it? Does it make you feel better?" Monty asked him. "Guess what Ace, I'm still standing here!"

Ace shoved him to the floor, but Monty just got straight back up and approached him again.

"I'm still here Ace, what now?" He asked. Ace looked around, seeing everyone staring at him. Monty could feel his heart going at a thousand beats a minute, convinced he was about to have a heart attack, but no matter how scared he was, the over-riding thing was anger. He got right into Ace's face. "What next? Beat me up? Guess what? I'll still be here and I'll get back up! I'll keep getting back up and I'll keep coming back because I am sick of you trying to take everything from me! So go ahead Ace, do your worst! Whatever you want to throw at me, go for it! I'm ready!"

Ace stood, fidgeting, trying to make up his mind between hitting Monty and trying to leave. He was keenly aware everyone was staring. Eventually he started to shove his way out of the room. The kids in the canteen started to applaud and chant his name as Victor finally made it to his side. He grabbed Monty's hand and raised it high above his head as people chanted for him. Monty looked around, unfortunately he could no longer see Viera, but right now, he could only smile as he heard his name being chanted over and over again.

In the Ranger Base, the team had managed to use the confusion to slip out of the canteen. They had thought about intervening to save Monty, but it quickly seemed like the little guy didn't need them. He had stood up to Ace in front of the whole school and in doing so had flipped the whole script on him.

"I swear, I didn't know he even had that in him!" Calvin said, sounding impressed as he relayed the story to Mick. "I know I had my run-in with Ace and his goons, but I kind of had that covered. Monty...WOW!"

"It was really something alright." Brody agreed. "He took the power in that situation without so much as laying a finger on Ace!"

"He really did. It was something to see." Viera said with a little smile as she finished putting her armour back on. "I just hope things go half as smoothly when I get home."

"Good luck with your coronation." Sarah told her, hugging her. "I'm really going to miss you."

"We all are." Preston added, putting his arm around Sarah as she parted from Viera. She just looked to them all.

"I want to thank you all for everything you've done." Viera told them. "I promise, once I get back to the Lion Galaxy, my armour and my ship will always be at your disposal. If I could stay and help, I would but..."

"We understand." Mick replied. "Our home needs you."

"I'm glad I got to see you one last time Mick." She told him. "I have a surprise for you."

Mick looked a little puzzled as she set up two rods on the table. He recognised them as part of a telecommunication device from his home galaxy. He didn't know why she was setting them up though. She turned them on and a holographic image flickered and came into view. Mick's eyes grew wide as he saw two familiar faces in the screen.

"Mom?" He asked nervously. "Dad?"

"Mickles! It's really you!" His mother gushed as she held onto her husband tightly. "I...I didn't know if I could believe it when a Royal Guard came to our home but...it really is you!"

"You're...you're both alive!" Mick screeched. The rest of the team was starting to choke up, seeing Mick being able to see his parents for the first time in twenty years, people he wasn't sure he would ever see again.

"You're looking good son." Mick's dad said. "We always prayed we would see you again."

"I did too." He answered, tears running down his face as he reached for the screen, knowing logically he'd be unable to touch them through it, but reaching out just the same.

"We've got so much to catch up on." His mother said. "We're really looking forward to you coming home!"

"Coming home?" Mick asked. He did have hopes of going to see his parents again, but as he looked around to the Rangers he could see them all watching on. Brody was the first to answer.

"We understand Mick." Brody told him. "We'll miss you, but...it's your family."

"I'd be more than happy for the company on my way home." Viera told him. "There's plenty of space on the Lion Ship."

"Mom, dad, I've dreamed of this day every night for twenty years." Mick told them. "But unfortunately I can't come back. Not yet."

"Mickles?" His mom asked.

"Please, please believe me, if my fight here wasn't important I'd be on my way home in a heartbeat, but...I can't come home. Not yet." He told them. "I promise though, as soon as we've rid the Earth of Cosmo and Galvanax, I'll be coming right home."

"We...we understand son." His dad told him. "We'd love to have you home, but, we know what you're doing is important. We're proud of you."

"We love you Mickles." His mother sobbed, reaching out.

"I love you too." Mick replied. Viera shut off the communicator as Brody came to Mick's side, hugging him.

"I promise that I'm going to go home and try to lead my people in a new way, in a better way." Viera told them. "I'm going to take the lessons I learned here and bring them to my people."

"Good luck Viera." Brody told her.

"Yeah, drop us a line when things settle down a little." Preston told her. Viera looked to him.

"Oh, I will. You can count on that." She told him. "Thank you all, for everything."

With that, Viera left the Ranger Base, heading for the Lion Zord's hiding place, all the time her heart filled with hope. She had been taught that ruling was all about strength, all about power and crushing others with that power, but here on Earth, she had seen what true power was, and she had seen it in a sixteen year old boy who didn't throw a single punch.


	22. Weekend Plans

With no one ready to run with only one day's notice, and desperate to spread footage of the Drillion fight to as many of his audience as possible, Cosmo didn't send another monster on the Friday for his usual broadcast slot. Although the Rangers felt their usual level of nerves on the Friday, wondering if he'd throw someone out at the last minute just to catch them off balance, right up until Sarah tuned in her tablet to the broadcast signal and found that they were running re-runs all day and advertised no new bout for the week. They all got a chance to breathe a sigh of relief and start to enjoy the novel situation of Friday only being about worrying about their weekend plans.

"I say we should go for a hike." Sarah said as they got to the staff canteen, carrying their trays to the table. "I've heard that Viera's landing has re-shaped a lot of the old hiking paths up there."

"You mean when she crashed and smashed up a mountain?" Preston asked her. He saw her grimace a little as she sat down. "Are…are you OK?"

"Just feeling a little tender." She admitted.

"I'm not surprised." Calvin chipped in. "You let yourself get carved up for Preston here."

"I thought you had mostly healed up from that." Hayley commented. In the midst of their battle with Drillion, Preston had taken a horrendous injury for Sarah, leaping in to protect her. Drillion's claws had actually hit his liver. Without a hospital it was unlikely he'd even survive, but that was when Sarah's power had flared up in its most obvious display. Her exposure to the Ninja Steel had heightened her empathy to the point that she could literally take the pain from people. She had managed to absorb Preston's physical injuries into herself. Mick had told them that while their Power Stars did heal them faster than normal, probably the only reason most of them weren't completely physically wrecked by now, Sarah had always healed at a rate that was significantly faster. He had thought it was just an anomaly with her Power Star, but now he suspected it was her Power Star's way of trying to counteract the additional pain and injuries she would take on whenever she used her powers. Preston's injuries had almost killed him, but Sarah had managed to go back to school the same day.

"I have." Sarah told them. "You know, I have a few scratches and suchlike, but I just told mom I bailed from my board into the neighbour's bushes. She seemed to believe that."

"I think we would all believe that one." Calvin chuckled.

"So why are you still sore?" Preston asked her, looking worried. "Do you need to see Mick? Should we…?"

"It's fine, I don't want to bother Mick." Sarah rushed out. "You all worry too much."

"Sarah, if you're hurt…"

"I'll be fine in a little while." She told them. She looked around and knew there was no way she could avoid this. They weren't going to let the subject drop if they thought she was hurting, especially Preston. She sighed and put down her cutlery. "It's…it's from my dad."

"Your dad?" Preston asked. "He hit you?"

"NO!" Sarah shrieked. "I mean, it's…FROM my dad."

"You mean…you took it from him?" Calvin asked her. She nodded.

"I hug my dad all the time, so I figured a couple of seconds here a couple of seconds there and no one would notice, but it might get him healthy again." She admitted. "Hell, if had known about this power back then I'd probably have taken it all then but he was just looking so frail and…"

"Sarah, you know we're not meant to abuse our powers." Hayley told her. "I understand wanting to help your dad but you didn't know that there wouldn't be a monster attack today. What if you were too hurt to…"

"I'd NEVER risk the team! I've fought banged up before, we all have! Like I said, it's a couple of seconds here and there to take the edge off things." Sarah told them. "My dad's been through so much already, I just saw him in so much pain and…"

"It's alright, we all understand." Preston told her, putting his arm around her. "For what it's worth, I'd probably do the same. I know we've all abused our powers a little on occasion. You don't really think I hid a real bunch of flowers up my sleeve when I met your parents the other day do you?"

"And I might have gotten a little bit of the insider scoop on what's going on in the school from some of the mascots." Hayley admitted. Calvin just shrugged.

"Nitro's running like a dream now." He told her. "It used to be it was a good day I didn't need to bump-start her."

"Hey guys!" Levi greeted them as he came across.

"Levi, hi!" Sarah greeted him. "We were all discussing what to do this weekend!"

"We were thinking about a hike up the mountains, see how Viera's 'remodelling' job has changed things." Calvin told him. "Want to come?"

"Sorry, but I've kind of got something on." Levi told them, looking around. He hadn't yet had a chance to speak to Brody about his latest flashback. When he had gone to San Angeles with Mrs Finch, Andrew Hartford had given them a tour of some of his private collection. One of the items he had seen had given him a flashback so severe that he had actually passed out for what he was told afterwards had been a couple of minutes. It had been armour that he was told was Sensei armour from the Wind Ninja Academy.

He had seen himself as a young boy, much younger than any of his previous flashbacks, speaking with a woman who was wearing that armour. He had no idea how or why he would be anywhere near the Wind Ninja Academy, but from the way the woman spoke it seemed like he actually lived there. Thanks to Drillion, he hadn't yet had the chance to speak to Brody about it and find out what he knew about it. Brody had said his dad had trained at the Wind Ninja Academy, so perhaps he could tell him something about it that might help unlock more of his memories.

"Say, have you guys seen Brody?" He asked them. "I haven't seen him around."

"He's in the training yard." Calvin told him. "He said he wanted to work out."

"Thanks Cal." Levi answered. "Enjoy your hike."

As he left, the other watched him go.

"What do you suppose that was about?" Hayley asked them.

"Damned if I know." Preston replied.

"So, about this hike…how about we make a real event of it, turn it into a camping trip?" Calvin asked. "Spend the weekend out there."

"Hey, that's a great idea! Hayley answered. "How about you guys?"

"Um…" Sarah and Preston both answered, looking to each other.

"You have a tent?" Sarah asked Preston.

"I could get one." Preston answered. "I…guess I'm in."

"Alright, then it's settled!" Calvin told them. "I'll load up Nitro with some supplies and pick you up tomorrow morning."

"That sounds like a plan alright!" Preston chimed in. "I've never been camping. This is going to be great!"

Levi went into the workshop, finding Redbot and Mick taking a careful inventory of all the Rangers' weapons and Power Stars. Mick was standing back from them, holding his chin with his hand as he pondered things. The fact they had used the last of the Ninja Steel on only two ninja stars, both of which had ended up being used to help Viera meant that now all the Ninja Steel they had was already in use. If they wanted to use any more to expand their arsenal now, the only way to do that would be to melt down something else.

"It's been a while since we used the Astro Zord." Redbot suggested.

"Yeah, but it's the only Zord that can go into space." Mick reminded him. "Not only might we still need to get to the Warrior Dome, if there's going to be any more Ninja Steel it'll probably be in asteroids and there's no way we can guarantee any of them will come to Earth."

"Alright then, what about the Rumble Tusk Zord Star?" Redbot asked.

"The Rumble Tusk is really strong, we never know when being able to call it could come in handy." Mick answered.

"Hey, how's it going?" Levi asked him.

"It's not looking good." Mick admitted. "I was hoping I'd have at least one Ninja Star left after we helped Viera. Giving her a Zord Star and the Lion Fire Armour Star, while helpful at the time, has left us without any real options."

"We're already scanning the cosmos to see if there are any other deposits of Ninja Steel." Redbot told him. Levi just nodded.

"Yeah, good luck with that." He answered. "Is Brody out the back?"

"Yeah, go right ahead." Mick told him. Levi made his way through, finding Brody in the back, working through a sword kata with his dad's ninjato. He watched him run through it, not wanting to interrupt. As he returned to his starting position, Levi clapped as he approached.

"That was pretty impressive." He told him.

"Yeah, it's been something I've been working on perfecting." Brody told him. "It's a Wind Ninja Academy kata, but it's been years since I've seen it. It was…"

"Water style?" Levi asked him. Brody paused.

"Yeah, it was." He said, looking a little confused as to how Levi would know that. Brody had taught all of the Rangers in their ninjutsu, and he had taught them all from his father's teachings. While Dane had continued to train and develop his skills long after he left the Wind Ninja Academy, and he had expanded his skills far beyond what he was trained in, the root of it was the Air Style. All of the Rangers' styles were rooted in the Air Style as a result. "How…how could you recognise the Water Style? I've never taught you…?"

"Brody, what can you tell me about the Wind Ninja Academy?" Levi asked him. Brody just shrugged.

"Not much." Brody admitted. "I was a baby when my dad left, I know it's somewhere in Blue…"

"Blue Bay Harbour." Levi interrupted him. Brody just looked to him as he placed the ninjato down. "How did you…?"

"Brody, I had a huge flashback, it was while I was in San Angeles with Mrs Finch…."

"With Mrs Finch?" Brody asked with a little wry grin. Levi just gave him a hard glare. "Right, not the point. Go on."

"We were looking around the Hartford Mansion, Dr Hartford was showing us some of the artefacts he has there." Levi informed him. He pulled out his camera, showing Brody a photograph. "I saw this, and I had a flashback."

Brody looked to the photograph, seeing the armour. He furrowed his brows as he inspected it, before looking back to Levi.

"That's Wind Ninja Academy Sensei Armour." Brody stated.

"Apparently one of the Rangers that came to help his team was from the Academy. She gave it to him." Levi explained as he took the camera back. "The thing is, once I saw it, I sort of fainted."

"You fainted?" Brody asked him.

"Yeah, it was a flashback. I saw myself as a kid up in the mountains." Levi told him. "I was talking to a woman wearing that armour. She seemed to know me. I think she was saying goodbye."

"Wait, are you saying…?"

"I think I lived at the Wind Ninja Academy as a kid." Levi told him. "I think maybe if I knew a bit more about it, maybe it might jog more of my memory."

"Well, I don't really remember much about it, like I told you, I was a kid when my dad left." Brody told him. "But you know, maybe…maybe we can talk to someone that was there."

"You know someone else?" Levi asked him.

"Well, no but Blue Bay isn't that far away." Brody reminded him. "Maybe we could take a trip out there, see if we can find something that helps you remember more."

"That…that would be great!" Levi told him. "Oh, but the guys were arranging some kind of hike this weekend, they're probably going to want you to join them."

"I can be with my friends any time." Brody replied with a smile. "Helping you is more important."

"Thanks man." Levi answered as he grabbed Brody's hand, before pulling him into a tight hug. "You don't know what this means to me."

"Hey, anything to help." Brody replied. "Besides, I guess it would be cool to see the old home. I never got a chance to head out there before."

"Hey guys!" Calvin asked as he and the others started to file into the yard. "We just wanted to ask you…"

"Yeah, Levi was saying something about your hike." Brody interrupted him.

"We decided to turn it into a camping trip actually." Hayley said, taking Calvin's hand gently. "We were going to make a weekend of it."

"Yeah, well, we kind of had plans." Brody told them. "We've just arranged a road trip to Blue Bay."

"Oh, well, I guess that could be cool too." Calvin replied. "Want some company? The thing about camping is technically you can do it anywhere so we could always…"

"Yeah, it's more of a personal mission." Levi responded. "I appreciate the offer though."

"Alright, well, have fun then." Sarah answered. Just then, the bell rang. "Oh great, well, I guess it's back to the grind then."

"Just think of sausages, burgers and toasted marshmallows." Preston answered as he put his arm around her, heading back out for the corridor. "I know that's what I'm going to be doing."

Back in the workshop, Mick was still struggling with the tough decisions he had to make about the Power Stars.

"Well, what about the Element Stars, or the Whiplash Stars?" Redbot suggested. "We have five of each of those. Do we really need five of each of them? Maybe the Rangers could share them."

"It's an idea, but what if the Ranger that needs it is the one that doesn't have one when it counts?" Mick asked. "I don't know if I want to take that risk…"

He was interrupted as his cell phone rang.

"Hold on…Hey, how's it going Jennifer?" He asked.

"How did you know it was me?" Principal Hastings asked him.

"Well, simple process of elimination considering the fact the Rangers all contact me on the Ninja-Comm and you're literally the only person that has this number." He answered. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, you know I'm starting back at the school on Monday, so I was just wondering if you could come over this weekend and catch me up on some of the things I need to know about." She replied. "Say, over dinner tomorrow night?"

"That would be great." Mick answered.

"I'm so glad you said that! I've been out of the school way too long!" She told him. "Do you like seafood? I know this great place that sells the absolute best lobster."

"Well, I've never actually eaten lobster." He admitted. "Wait, lobster? Seriously, how do you afford all this stuff?"

"Come on over and maybe I'll tell you." She replied with a little smile. "There's no need to bring anything, I'll have everything. Come over about six tomorrow alright?"

"I'll be there." Mick assured her. "I'm looking forward to it."

Up on the Warrior Dome, Cosmo was sitting in his office, watching one of many re-runs as Wrench came into the room. He brought a new tablet with him, aiming to take some notes.

"You summoned me?" Wrench asked. "I presume this is about the new action figures?"

"We're marketing them as collectible editions, please try to get that right." Cosmo told him.

"Well, I just got word from production and they should have the first run out for…"

"Wrench, the collectible editions will take care of themselves. I've already got the projections. Don't worry that new shiny little head about it." Wrench told him. "I want you to concentrate on this now."

He pulled up a screen and showed it to Wrench. Wrench looked at it and was confused.

"I don't get it, these are reports of nuisance phone calls." Wrench responded.

"It might have started as nuisance phone calls, but it's now broken into the realms of fraud." Cosmo told him. "I've gotten reports from all over the ship of people being sold insurance, betting odds and investments in fighters that don't exist."

"I still don't understand why this is a problem, this is a security issue." Wrench stated. "It's not a production issue."

"Well, it wouldn't be except for this." Cosmo told him, playing one of the messages.

"I'm telling you, this is a once-in-a-lifetime investment! For a mere fifty space bullion you can make THOUSANDS once these collectibles hit the market!" He heard Cosmo's voice saying. Wrench looked to the computer, and then to Cosmo.

"Someone is posing as Odious, members of my board, even me!" Cosmo told him. "But that's not the most interesting part. Look at this analysis I had run."

Wrench listened as he played the message again, this time doing a voice print analysis. The result came back that it was a ninety nine percent match for Cosmo.

"This would pass any check that anyone on the ship would run, but the problem is I know for a fact I did not make that call!" Cosmo snapped. "Someone is using my good name in their scams and I cannot allow that to stand!"

He tapped a few keys, at which Wrench felt some data being uploaded to his systems.

"I've tracked the calls down to this section of the ship." Cosmo told him. "It's not much, but I trust you'll be able to narrow the field down a bit when you get there. Take some of my Basher Bots with you. I want this fraudster caught, and I want him brought to me! In one piece if possible, but if not, just bring back enough that we can be sure we've got our man."

"I won't let you down." Wrench assured him as he got up, heading for the door.


	23. Blue Bay Bound

Saturday morning came around, and Levi pulled up outside the school, finding Brody, Mick and Redbot waiting for him. Being a Saturday, no kid with any kind of self-respect was within miles of the school, so they knew there would be no danger in Redbot coming out to see them off. Brody was carrying a huge backpack, and a sleeping bag was tucked under his arm. Levi chuckled as he got out, seeing him.

"You are aware we're only going for the weekend right?" Levi asked him. "Also? Hotel rooms exist! I have an absolute butt-load of loyalty points just building up that should get us a great room!"

"You are aware that the Wind Ninja Academy is in the mountains right?" Brody asked in response.

"Yeah, so we'll get checked in then head out." Levi responded.

"Yeah, ninjas aren't exactly known for being easy to find if they don't want to be found." Brody pointed out. "It'll probably take us a little more than an afternoon hike to find the place, presuming we do. I was only about four when I left and I sure as hell don't remember where the front door is."

"I guess we're stopping by a camping supplies store when we get there then." Levi sighed. Brody just looked to him curiously.

"I thought you liked camping." Brody commented. "Don't you already have supplies?"

"Yeah, I do, and they're at home in Texas." Levi answered with a shrug. "Besides, I have royalties checks that have been building up. You don't get a whole lot of time to go on a spending spree when you're on tour."

"So you're just going to walk into a store and drop a few hundred bucks on camping gear." Brody said, shoving him playfully. "It must be nice being a Platinum recording artist."

"That's MULTIPLE Platinum to you." Levi said, popping the trunk to allow Brody to put his bags inside. "And yeah, it has its advantages at times."

"I've already scanned the local weather conditions, you should have optimal driving and camping conditions all the way to Blue Bay and back." Redbot informed them.

"Thanks for that Redbot." Levi answered. "So, what are you guys doing to pass the time?"

"I have a fanfiction that's just getting to a really riveting..."

"Yeah, that sounds great." Levi said in an off-hand way, interrupting Redbot.

"I guess I'll keep assessing what we can afford to melt down." Mick said with a sigh. "Anyway, take care you two. Don't get into any trouble."

"Mick, Blue Bay hasn't seen a monster attack since 2015!" Levi laughed as they got in. "What could possibly go wrong?"

As they pulled away, Mick looked to Redbot.

"I really wish he hadn't just said that." He commented. "Alright, back to figuring out what we can spare most."

"Well, there is another source of Ninja Steel we haven't considered." Redbot stated. "Remember we did some repairs after Badpipes damaged me..."

"Redbot, how about we explore other options before we consider chopping you up for spare parts?" Mick suggested.

In the car, Levi looked to Brody as they started out.

"It's freeway most of the way to Blue Bay, I won't need the GPS until then." He commented. "Do you want to put on some music?"

"Do you have anything that's not yours on your play list?" Brody asked him.

"Well, it's old, but I have Tom's album on there too, some of his songs are pretty..."

"Yeah, call me petty but I really don't want to hear songs by a guy that keeps calling me a plagiarist." Brody told him.

"I really wish you two would sort that out." Levi told him. "Tom's my brother and all, but I'd like all of you to get on with him too."

"I guess I'll try a little harder next time I see him, but can we put on something else in the meantime?" Brody asked him. "Maybe something that isn't Country?"

"Kylee Styles?" Levi suggested. "I met her a few years back when I opened for her."

"I found her stuff pretty plastic actually." Brody answered.

"Kira Ford?" Levi offered.

"Perfect." Brody said with a smile. "And finally someone you can't name-drop."

"Well actually..."

"You know, one of these days you're going to realise how irritating that is." Brody commented. Levi just laughed as he turned out onto the freeway, pulling up the play-list.

Elsewhere in the city, Levi and Brody weren't the only ones preparing for a trip. Sarah was in the garage just gathering some of her things together. As well as the usual camping supplies, tent, sleeping bag, stove and suchlike, she had opted to take the opportunity to try out a few gadgets she had been working on. It was nothing much, mostly just surveying equipment, GPS etc, the kind of thing she could use to ascertain exactly how much of the mountains had been irreversibly altered as a result of Princess Viera's crash landing.

She looked up as Nitro rolled into the driveway, and Preston, Hayley and Calvin all got out. She smiled, bounding over and hugging them all in turn, ending in Preston's arms.

"Hey Sarah, are you ready to go?" Hayley asked her.

"Yeah, I'm all packed up and ready to go." She told them. "I checked the weather reports and we should have perfect conditions for hiking and star gazing and..."

"Well, as long as it stays dry long enough to grill up some burgers I'm more than happy!" Calvin interrupted her. "Half the fun of camping is snuggling under blankets."

"Oh, I remember those days well." Al said as he arrived. Preston very quickly let go of Sarah and leapt almost into the wall, bumping into some shelves. He was still very aware of his behaviour around Sarah when her parents were around. He didn't know if Al had noticed or not, but he was quite relieved that he seemed to be paying more attention to Hayley and Calvin than him. "It's been quite a while since I took Sarah camping, but back in the day I used to love camping when we had the weather for it."

"Mr Thompson, how are you feeling?" Hayley asked him, noticing that he was on his feet and moving around remarkably well for someone who was only just recently out of the hospital for spinal injuries.

"Oh, I'm great, better than great!" Al told them with a bright smile. "I mean, I doubt I'll be lying on the ground anymore, I like a hotel room at my age, but my back feels great! I don't know what they put in these heat wrap strips, but they work miracles! I guess it's true what they say, the worst place to recover is in a hospital right?"

"Yeah, it's funny how that works." Calvin said, taking a little look over to Sarah, who just looked a little guilty. They knew that she was using her powers in small doses to help heal her dad faster and get him back onto his feet. It was pretty blatant that she was still doing it.

"I'm glad to hear you're feeling better." Hayley answered. Al took a seat on a nearby workbench and looked to them.

"Yeah, I did love camping. Ellie and I used to go all the time when we were dating. There was nothing better than just watching the stars under a blanket with some toasted marshmallows. It was pretty romantic. In fact, I think...how long was it after that trip that Sarah...?"

"OOOOKAY! I think that's DEFINITELY our cue to go!" Sarah rushed out, grabbing her bags and handing them to Preston. Preston looked to Al, but fortunately it seemed like he was lost in his own thoughts. He put the bags into the back, then climbed in next to Sarah as Calvin started up the truck. A short time later, they were pulling out of the drive and onto the road. Ellie came into the garage, finding him still reminiscing.

"Was that Sarah and her friends leaving?" She asked.

"You just missed them." He told her. She just sighed.

"Darn it, I wanted to make sure she checked she had everything." Ellie commented.

"When was the last time Sarah forgot ANYTHING?" He chuckled. "Besides, half the fun of camping is realising you forgot something and having to figure out a work-around. I was just telling the kids how much I remember our camping trips."

"You did?" Ellie asked. "How...how much did you tell them?"

"Oh...just enough." Al said with a wicked grin. Ellie just smacked him on the arm.

"You are bad Al!" She chuckled. Al put his arms around her and pulled her in close.

"And let's face it; you wouldn't have it any other way." He replied, pulling her in to a long, soft kiss. They were interrupted as someone coughed.

"Sorry to interrupt, but...I think I'm really lost." A guy in coveralls said as he started to look around. "I think this is the right street but..."

"What are you looking for?" Al asked him.

"Um...We're looking for Backing Thompson Financial Services." He stated as he pulled out a printout from a website. "I was looking for an office or something, but I must have taken a wrong turn..."

"No, you're in the right place, that's my business." Al informed him, shaking the man's hand. "Al Thompson. I'm running it out of my home. It might not have a fancy water feature or marble floors but that's reflected in our rates. Ellie, why don't you get a couple of coffees while I take...um...I'm sorry, I didn't catch..."

"Wendell." The man replied. "I'll just get the others. HEY GUYS, this is the place!"

"Uh...guys?" Al asked, looking to Ellie.

"He did say 'we' were looking for you." Ellie reminded him. "How many...oh...!"

"OH!" Al agreed as a crew of about a dozen or so men wearing coveralls all turned up in his garage. They had been knocking on all the doors in the neighbourhood looking for Al's office. "Um...Ellie, better make that a POT of coffee!"

Up on the Warrior Dome, Wrench was beginning his investigations into the mysterious new telephone fraudster on the ship. Crime on the Warrior Dome wasn't at all uncommon. Indeed in some of the poorer areas of the ship, it was so common it was almost a legitimate business, but so long as nothing harmed the ship or interfered with the broadcast of Cosmo's hit TV show, frankly he couldn't care less what people did in other areas of the ship.

This fraudster though had brought himself to Cosmo's attention though because he was actually somehow mimicking voices of some of his upper management. They would pose as Madame Odious, Cosmo...Wrench had even found occasions where they'd imitate HIS voice and claim to be dealing with technical security in order to phish for personal details that could be used to access accounts and take out loans and suchlike. Cosmo didn't actually care that people were losing money, but the fact that someone was posing as his staff reflected on his brand, and that potentially damaged the reputation that was the cornerstone of his trade. That meant that now, this fraudster's days were numbered! Now, Wrench had been sanctioned to find him and bring him to justice with whatever means he felt were appropriate.

He went into The Sump, one of the very worst areas of the ship, to begin his search. They had narrowed down the calls to somewhere within that area, but the exact location would take some closer scrutiny to find. The unfortunate thing was that the communications network within The Sump was not exactly state-of-the-art. Numerous servers and stations relayed every communication making it incredibly difficult to track down a specific signal. It was going to make finding the culprit difficult, especially if he wasn't using a registered phone.

Wrench was sitting in a tavern with some Basher Bots, checking his latest scans. Since coming here, he had narrowed down the field to a few blocks from this tavern, but until he got reports of another call, he didn't know what else to do.

He hated this place; the people here were the very dregs of the society. Seeing people falling about drunk in the middle of the day, people getting into fights for the most random of stupid reasons and the kind of mentality of a people so trodden down and beaten down by those higher up on the ladder that many of them had long since abandoned any hope of anything better in life reminded him a lot of his time on Sledge's ship among the inmates. He had spent 65 million years among some of the worst of the worst, and he had no desire to return to that. He just continued to work in peace, ignoring the fact that the locals had apparently noticed the intrusion.

"What's the matter shiny-pants? Take a wrong turn?" Someone asked, eliciting a small laugh from his table.

"If you're referring to me, I assure you that I have as little desire to be here as you have for me to be here." Wrench responded without even looking at him. There were a few oohs and ahhs from the others.

"Why, what's wrong with this neighbourhood?" He asked. "Are you disrespecting my home?"

"No, I'm just trying to finish my work here as quickly as I can so I can leave and stop disturbing your...important work." Wrench said as he continued to work. The patron reached under the table, picking something up as he could see the others looking at him, wondering if he was going to respond to this show of disrespect. It had almost been a full hour since the last brawl broke out, and people were starting to get bored.

"Do you know how many people I've killed you foil-wrapped turd?" He screamed. "I've killed fifteen in the fighting pits! The only reason I've never been on that show of yours is because Cosmo is too afraid to put a REAL monster on television!"

"Yeah, I'm sure that's EXACTLY the reason." Wrench answered sarcastically.

"It's funny when you hide behind those robots isn't it? If you and I were alone..."

Wrench picked up his axe and threw it the length of the bar, where it lodged itself in the man's ribcage. He activated a magnet, recalling it to him before the monster fell face-first straight through his table of drinks. The rest of the party all went to find somewhere else to drink as Wrench put his axe back down by the side of his chair.

"Sump Lake Tavern." The bartender said as he answered his phone. He just looked a little curiously at the phone. "Centralised Accounts? There's a problem with...? Who did you say this is? Wrench?"

Wrench suddenly looked up as he heard this. He got up from his seat and headed over, indicating to the bar tender to hand him the phone. The bartender did so, before heading to clear up the mess Wrench had left at the other table.

Wrench could indeed hear his own voice on the line. A quick analysis with his internal sensors showed that it was a ninety eight percent match for him, more than enough to pass most electronic tests. He quickly pieced together what he had heard the bartender say and hastily create a mimic program to be able to speak in his voice.

"Sorry, there was some trouble in the bar; you'll have to repeat that." Wrench stated. The fraudster sighed, a dead giveaway since Wrench didn't strictly speaking breathe anymore.

"There's been a recent outbreak of fraud lately, and we just want to be sure there have been no rogue transactions on your account. We're doing some routine security checks on your online accounts. We just need a few details to be able to run our checks." The fraudster told him. Wrench could smell a phishing scam a mile away. Banks didn't need details from their customers to access their accounts; they would only verify personal details to know they could speak about the accounts. The account details themselves though, the only reason anyone would need them is to attempt to access the accounts themselves. "We're just going to need your account number and access code."

Wrench couldn't believe his luck; he had the fraudster on the phone with him! He was speaking directly to him!

"Account number 90876231, access code Mike, Delta, Foxtrot 68." He said over the phone. Wrench waited while he listened to the fraudster on the other end type those details into his computer.

"Alright, those details are just processing...alright...we have the address as...oh...uhm..."

"It's a production account! One we set up with a worm program!" Wrench told him.

"Oh SHIT!" The Fraudster yelled, before slamming the phone down. Wrench quickly checked his tracking worm. He had disconnected, likely pulling the plug on his computer so that he terminated any connection online before they could find him, but it had already run long enough to narrow it down to a single street. Wrench hung up the phone and gestured to his crew.

"Alright, we've got a street, everyone pack up and move out!" He told them, picking up his axe. "I really don't want to stir up the wildlife down here anymore than I already have!"

Meanwhile, Brody and Levi were just approaching Blue Bay Harbour. It was a long way from Summer Cove, but both being coastal towns something did feel very familiar about it. They were currently singing along to the stereo. As the final chords played, Levi turned it off so he could concentrate on the last stage of the journey once he was off the freeway.

"I can't believe she released that song in 2008! That's ten years ago!" Brody said with a smile.

"Well, apparently she wrote that song before then." Levi answered. "She sang it at her High School Prom."

"Levi!" Brody groaned. "What have I told you about name-dropping?"

"Sorry." He replied as he started to pull in. Brody looked a little curious as he noticed him pulling into a parking lot.

"What are you doing?" Brody asked him. "We're still way off from the mountains."

"Well, you said I need camping supplies, and this place looks pretty outdoorsy." Levi said as he parked up and got out. Brody just rolled his eyes as he followed Levi to the store. When they got inside, it wasn't quite what they expected.

"Uh...I don't think we're in the right place." Brody told him, looking around. The place was full of all sorts of skateboards, rollerblades, surfboards and even dirt bikes. It was full of kids that were all looking around with interest at the merchandise.

"Nonsense, this place is all about outdoor sports right?" Levi asked. "Well, I um...I...guess camping is kind of an outdoor sport right?"

"Hi, sorry you were looking kind of lost." A woman said, coming over to them. She was a little shorter than them both, and had burning red hair. "My name's Kelly, I'm the manager here."

"Yeah, I'm not sure we're in the right place, we're probably going to go..."

"Do you have any camping supplies?" Levi asked her, ignoring Brody. "We came out to do some camping and like an idiot I left my stuff at home in Texas."

"Wow, um...OK, I'll admit it's been a while, we don't get much call for camping supplies, but I should have some stuff still in stock." Kelly told them, looking to them curiously. "Wait, are you Levi...?"

"Naw, trust me, I get that all the time." Levi interrupted her; almost able to see Brody's eyes rolling out of his skull at this all too familiar scene. "I think it's my smile."

"Right." She said, looking between them both. "You...you don't sound much alike."

"Why would we?" Brody asked her.

"Oh...oh, I'm sorry, it's just...you both look so similar I thought maybe you were related." She commented.

"You think we look alike?" Brody asked her as he and Levi just stared at each other for a moment.

"Sorry, I just...I've embarrassed myself enough." She chuckled. "I'll take you to the camping stuff...seriously; no one's ever said that to you before?"

"Not that I can ever remember." Brody said with a shrug.

"Thank GOD!" Levi answered, earning himself a punch in the arm as they got to a small display of camping goods.

"Alright, sorry like I said, we don't stock much; we don't have much call for camping supplies." She told them.

"That's fine; we should be able to find what we need here." Levi answered.

"Alright, I'll be right by the register if you need me." She answered. As she walked away, she took one last look to Levi and Brody and just shook her head. "Kelly, your instincts are getting pretty rusty in your old age."


	24. Hunting Trips

Deep within the mountains of Summer Cove, Sarah, Calvin, Hayley and Preston had parked up and were now heading up to see the changes in the nearby mountain ranges. They had heard that NASADA had been in the area to check it out for any debris or dangerous substances, but by the time they got there at the weekend, they couldn't see any signs of anyone else for miles. It seemed that if the rumour were true, then NASADA had either found nothing of interest, or had already excavated everything they could find of value and left without so much as a single trace they had been there.

"Well, it's really not that much of a surprise." Calvin commented as they hiked up one of the trails. "You know, I heard the REAL reason they haven't had any more moon missions since the sixties was that some NASADA agent and others got recruited for some mission on the moon that was kept totally under wraps. Some people even say there might have been actual RANGERS involved!"

"Calvin, you REALLY have to stop reading those conspiracy theory websites." Hayley teased her boyfriend as she took some photographs. Calvin did like reading a lot of the old conspiracy theories online in his spare time. The multiple gunmen, the Paul McCartney look-alike, Avril Lavigne…he didn't generally BELIEVE many of them, most of them fell apart pretty quickly with even the smallest amount of critical thought and scrutiny, but that didn't mean that they weren't very entertaining stories, some of which people had clearly worked very hard on and had shown quite an impressive imagination. Every now and then there was a story that was quite convincing, but most of them fell apart completely whenever the question of proof or even a simple question like 'who would benefit from this?' came up. "I'm perfectly certain if there was a Ranger mission in the late sixties someone would have said something about it by now."

"The path's getting pretty treacherous up ahead." Sarah said, looking to a device in her hands. "The radiation is a little higher than normal, but nothing that's even close to being harmful. The pathways are getting pretty broken up though."

"You're not kidding." Preston said as he stepped on a loose stone and stumbled. "I guess it shows how tough the Lion Ship is. It must have come down with quite a bump."

"That's an understatement." Hayley stated. "Alright, I don't know about you, but I think we've come out about as far as we can make it on foot. If we wanted to go any further we'd need some pretty serious climbing gear."

"It's alright, I should be able to perform my scans from here." Sarah told them, spinning Preston around and starting to pull items out of her backpack, which he was beginning to regret agreeing to carry. "The ship came down near some faults, I really wanted to see if any of them had been affected. It shouldn't take more than a couple of hours for me to complete the scans."

"HOURS?" Calvin asked. This wasn't what he had signed up for. He had heard the word 'camping' and envisioned grilling over an open fire, a swim in the nearby lake, huddling around a campfire looking at the stars…while he was perfectly certain that Sarah would be having the time of her life, but for him…it just meant a few hours sitting at the top of a mountain instead of setting up the camp for some couple's time with his girlfriend. Preston put the bags down and got out a deck chair, setting it up.

"Well, I for one am happy enough for the time to rest." Preston answered as he took a seat.

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Hayley asked. Sarah just shook her head.

"Most of the scans are self-running, I only need to be here in case the equipment needs adjustment or to pack up." Sarah told her. "Until then, I guess we're just kind of stuck here."

"We should really make our way to a campsite before dark." Calvin reminded them. "The trail was pretty broken up, we don't want to risk it in the dark."

"Don't worry Calvin, we'll get to the lakeside in plenty of time for your cook-out." Sarah assured him. "In the meantime, just…enjoy the view. Take some pictures or something."

"Yeah, I think Hayley's got that covered." He laughed as he pointed a little way off. Hayley was approaching a nearby eagle's nest. Normally this would have risked spooking the eagle into attacking to protect her eggs, but thanks to Hayley's powers, she could speak with the mother and assure her she was no danger. She started snapping off some shots, while the eagle almost looked like it was posing for the pictures. "The school paper will NEVER figure out how she got those shots!"

"Yeah, they're going to be great alright." Preston agreed as Calvin set up a deck chair next to his and sat down. The Yellow Ranger just looked to him as he settled in.

"So, you and Sarah…it's been a while hasn't it?" He asked.

"It's been a few weeks." Preston answered with a little smile. "I'm glad we took this trip. It's not like we have much of a chance to do anything outside of school or Ranger business."

"So, how are things going there?" Calvin asked him. "I…couldn't help notice you were a little jumpy around her dad."

"I don't know, it's just, I know her folks like me but I guess I don't know how they feel about me being with her." Preston told him.

"Well, how do you and Sarah feel?" Calvin asked him.

"Well, we still have a great time." He said with a grin. "That night at the fair was great!"

"Yeah, it was fun alright." Calvin agreed. He and Hayley had 'bumped into' them on their first date while they were trying to keep an eye on them to see what was happening. "I'm sure your other dates have been good too."

"Well, uh…"

"You…have been on other dates, right?" Calvin asked him. Preston shook his head.

"There's not been time!" He reiterated.

"Dude, you've been with her for weeks and you've only been on one date?" Calvin asked him.

"Like I said, it's not like we've exactly had a whole lot of spare time!" Preston reiterated. "Would I have liked to go out a couple more times, sure. It's a little hard to figure out where we are if I've only had one date."

"I guess it took Hayley and I a couple to know where we were heading." Calvin assured him. "I think it was our second date before we kissed…"

He noticed Preston flinching a little as he heard this.

"Dude…you have…kissed each other, right?" Calvin asked him. Preston just looked a little awkward. "Dude, really?"

"Hey, Preston! Can you bring me some water?" Sarah shouted over.

"Sure thing!" Preston called back, fetching a canteen out of his bag and heading over.

Up on the Warrior Dome, Wrench was continuing his manhunt for his fraudster. Although he had now narrowed down his search to one street, he still had a way to go. As he was about to enter the street though, he had a thought. While the fraudster had figured out they were tracing the call, it was still possible he hadn't yet fled the scene. He had cut off the call very quickly so it was possible he hoped it was fast enough to prevent them from finding him. Setting up a phone fraud network as extensive as his would require a fair bit of planning and equipment and he was unlikely to want to burn his whole operation unless he needed to. While it was cheaper in the long run to just trash his equipment and set up again in a new location and safer too, laziness was also a factor for a lot of crooks. That said, he doubted that showing up on the guy's street with a full squadron of Basher Bots was the way to go. All he would need to do is look out his window and he'd be spooked into action.

"Alright, we don't want to spook him, I'll flush him out myself." Wrench told them. "Split into squads, I want all exits to the street sealed off, no one gets in or out!"

Wrench made his way into the street, looking around for signs of movement. Being the middle of the day, the majority of the residents were at work, and so that would limit how many areas he would have to search. He knew that the fraudster had used his voice, so he had to assume he knew who he was, which meant that he would have to move quickly. He did a quick thermal scan over an apartment building finding only a few units were still occupied. The fact that this was also the only building in the area with an extensive enough phone network to support this kind of operation meant he knew he had found the place, all he had to do now was find out which apartment the operation was running from.

He went to the top floor, aiming to start at the top and work down. As soon as he stepped off the elevator, he marvelled at the sheer stupidity of what he saw. Phone wires had been ripped out of the walls and run along the corridor, all heading in one direction. He guessed that if he checked the rental agreements, he would find that all the units on this floor were occupied, but most likely they would all have been rented out by one person, perhaps under numerous identities, in order to make sure no one really had any reason to come up here and see this. All the phone lines would be active, which probably just made it look like the units were occupied but all they really needed was the phone taps. Wrench ran a thermal scan and found only one room on this floor had anyone inside. He was in luck, just as he thought, his quarry didn't want to burn down his operation if he didn't have to. He had underestimated Wrench's ability to track him, a mistake that would cost him!

He made his way up the corridor and broke open a couple of doors on his way and found that the other apartments seemed to be filled with goods and even money. He was using them as storage for his ill-gotten gains. The one thing he didn't find though was an arsenal, and so he was sure his quarry was likely on his own.

Getting to the last unit, Wrench listened in at the door. There was someone on a phone call.

"Premier Hotel, Hi, I'm looking for a guest under the name of Wall." He heard the voice saying. There was a pause as he waited for the answer. "You don't have any walls? Well how does the building stay up!"

Wrench heard wild, whooping laughter following this.

"Alright, enough fun for now, who's my next victim?" He heard the fraudster say, before dialling another number. He then heard him alter to Madame Odious' voice. "Hello, this is Madame Odious, agent to the stars. I've been going over footage of your recent fights and I have to say, I like what I see."

Wrench had heard enough. He took a step back, before swinging his axe, smashing straight through the door. In a couple of swings, he had turned it into kindling. He stepped into the room, confronting the creature as he snapped to his feet in alarm.

It was a bizarre looking creature, something of a maniacal cross between a monkey and a payphone. The phone wires were all plugged directly into him. He stared at Wrench in horror.

"I presume you know who I am…you've been using my voice for your little scams!" Wrench yelled angrily as he reared back his axe. The creature just stared at him. "Cosmo Royale would like a word with you!"

"How did…what…no…please don't!" The creature begged him. "I promise I'll stop! Just please, don't take me in!"

"Sorry, but I have a job to do. Not to mention my name is one of the ones you smeared with your little scams!" Wrench answered. "Do you have anything to say before I bring you in?"

"Now that you mention it, I do!" He responded. "SONIC BOOM!"

A soundwave erupted from the creature and smashed into Wrench, picking him up and throwing him out of the apartment and smashing him through the wall into the apartment on the other side of the hall. Wrench scrambled to his feet in time to see the monster smashing through the window and leaping out into the street.

He ran to the window in time to see him catch onto the building on the other side. Wrench fired some missiles from hidden housings in his body, one of his many new upgrades, which smashed the building apart, causing the creature to fall to the street, where Basher Bots surrounded him. Wrench leapt out of the window, landing in the street, smashing the concrete as he landed. He made his way over to the creature as the Basher Bots restrained him.

"He has a sonic weapon, I'll fit him with a dampener." Wrench told them. "So, what's your name?"

"Phonepanzee!" The creature stammered.

"Well, Phonepanzee, Cosmo Royale would really like a word with you." Wrench told him as he grabbed him and started dragging him with them.

In Blue Bay Harbour, Levi and Brody had taken to the mountains after buying up some supplies and were looking around. The mountain ranges surrounding Blue Bay were extremely extensive. While in most places the idea that an academy that housed hundreds, possibly thousands of ninjas would be laughable, actually having to hike through the mountains made the whole story a lot more believable though. They could hide a city out here without any fear of it ever being found by accident!

"You know, you look pretty happy for a guy who's spent the last five hours wandering randomly around the mountains." Brody commented as he saw the smile on Levi's face.

"What can I say, I wasn't lying when I said I like this kind of stuff." Levi answered. "When I was a kid, my dad…the General…he'd just take it on himself to pack a tent a couple of sleeping bags and some hunting equipment and we would just wander into the wilderness and not see another human being for days at a time."

"It's more than that though, isn't it?" Brody asked him. "You're remembering something aren't you?"

"I recognise a lot of these mountains." Levi confirmed. "I don't know how, or why, but I keep getting the feeling like I've been here before. I definitely feel like we're on the right track!"

"You said that about two hours ago." Brody teased him. Levi just looked at him.

"You want to stop?" He asked. "If this is too much for you we can take a rest…"

"Oh, you're playing that game now?" Brody chuckled.

"Well, you seem to be the fragile one that wants to rest up." Levi continued to goad him. "If your little feet hurt…"

"Hey, you might think you and your dad were outdoorsy, but you have nothing on what my dad considered a camping trip." Brody told him. "There was this one time we went out with just…"

"Whoa, wait a minute." Levi cut him off as they came to a clearing. He fell silent as he walked around. It was a grassy plateau, by a waterfall which ran into a small lake. It was quite narrow, but since it didn't flood over, they presumed it had to be incredibly deep. There were bright flowers all around, and woods all around kept it mostly hidden from the outside. Levi walked over to the edge of the lake.

"Let me guess, you feel like…"

"No, it's more than a feeling…this is the place in my flashback! This clearing right here!" He told him. "The waterfall, the flowers…these rocks, I was sitting right here when I talked to that woman in the sensei armour!"

"Are you sure?" Brody asked.

"Yes, I'm sure! I'm positive! It hasn't changed a bit!" He told him. "I sat right here on this rock! It's not changed, but…how can that be? In ten years you'd think it would have at least…"

"It's not natural, someone maintains this." Brody told him, dropping his bag. "Levi…we're not alone out here."

"What?" Levi asked him.

"I've got a feeling…we're being watched." Brody told him. Levi didn't know why, but as soon as Brody said this, he had a feeling that Brody was right. It wasn't just paranoia, it was like he could actually feel eyes on him. SEVERAL eyes.

"Yeah, I've got that feeling too." Levi answered. "So why don't they make a move?"

"They're probably just trying to ascertain if we're going to move on." Brody stated.

"Sorry, but we're not going anywhere." Levi answered.

"Well, since they won't come out and talk, I guess it's time we invited ourselves in." Brody told him. He picked up a rock and threw it up into some trees. They heard a howl, following which a figure dressed in black leather, trimmed in red fell out of the tree to the ground. Before they could approach him though, suddenly more figures appeared. Numerous people dressed in black leather, trimmed in yellow burst out of the ground. Many more of the red-trimmed figures dropped down from the trees and the surrounding cliffs, while several others trimmed in blue shot up out of the lake, standing on it like it was open ground. Very quickly they were surrounded. Levi and Brody both took on guarding positions and stood back-to-back.

"Are you starting to think maybe that wasn't the best idea?" Levi asked.

"I'm getting there." Brody replied.

"I just hope you aren't too tired from the hike!" Levi taunted him as the ninjas started to charge.


	25. Wait Too Long

Up in the mountains surrounding Summer Cove, Sarah was performing her scans of the area. While they knew that Viera's crash landing hadn't really been deliberate, they didn't want to take any chances and wanted to know if it had caused any serious harm to the area. It was slow going, she was nothing if not thorough, and while the others did understand the value of what she was doing, they had hoped for a little more fun and relaxing while they were on this trip.

Hayley came over and sat with Calvin, having taken as many pictures of this mountaintop as she really cared to. As much as she was getting some great shots, the fact they hadn't left this mountaintop in a couple of hours meant she was quickly running out of things to take pictures of and she wanted to save some space on her memory card for the rest of her trip.

"You know, I love Sarah, but she really doesn't get how boring a lot of this science stuff is for the rest of us." She commented.

"I never thought I'd see the day I'd refer to Sarah as boring." Calvin admitted.

"Well, at least they have a chance to have some fun." Hayley commented as she saw Preston crossing over to her, handing her some candy. She hugged him and popped it into her mouth, before returning to what she was doing. Preston just took a seat nearby. He had taken up a spot near her so that he could offer her water, snacks, sunblock…he knew she could get a little tunnel-vision when she was working on something, and he didn't want her to end up getting sick.

"Not as much fun as you'd think." Calvin commented. Hayley just furrowed her brows.

"What's that meant to mean?" She asked him. Calvin just looked to make sure that Preston and Sarah were a little way off and were unlikely to hear him.

"Preston and I were just talking and he kind of said some stuff that was a little strange." Calvin told her.

"You have MET Preston, right?" Hayley chuckled. Calvin drew in a little closer.

"He told me this is their second date. They haven't been out together since the carnival." Calvin informed her.

"That…that is pretty strange." Hayley conceded. "I mean, I know we've had a lot on since then, but it's been a couple of weeks since then."

"He also let something slip that…I'm not sure he meant to…" Calvin said a little uncomfortably. He pulled in, whispering directly in Hayley's ear.

"They haven't even kissed?" She asked him. Calvin just nodded.

"I…I don't know it that means anything but…" He didn't know how best to phrase it. "When it was us…I…we kissed sooner than that didn't we?"

"To be fair we had been best friends since we were eight. There weren't really many mysteries left between us." She reminded him. She did however feel that perhaps there was something in what Calvin was saying. "We kissed after the first date, but…it's not like we've had much time to…"

"Hayley, how much time does it take?" Calvin asked her.

"Well…it's not exactly like every couple is the same." Hayley said, but she looked to them and saw them sharing a joke. She took a deep breath. "You think we should help them, don't you?"

"As the veteran couple don't you think it's kind of down to us to do so?" Calvin asked her. "I seem to remember someone not to far from here saying something similar."

"You know, I hate how you can forget so much and yet always seem to remember everything I say when it suits you." She replied, holding his hand. "Alright, I guess if they can't figure it out, it's up to us."

"Hey guys! The scans have finished!" Sarah shouted over as she started switching off her devices and packing them up.

"Great, so what did we learn?" Hayley asked her.

"The fault doesn't seem to be any less stable than it was before." Sarah answered. "Some of the cliff faces are a little less secure than they were before, but unless they're disturbed, they shouldn't be a problem. The cliff's far enough from the city that it shouldn't affect anyone that isn't directly underneath. I'm going to send my data to the Parks & Recreation Office though and suggest they mark some warnings and safe hiking routes."

"So…basically we've learned nothing new." Calvin summarised. "We've been up here for the last five hours for nothing?"

"Well, not exactly nothing." Sarah said, packing her equipment away. "Besides, I also spotted a great site down by the lake, just down that trail. We should be there in time to set up before dark. We should even have time for a swim before dinner."

"Now THAT is the kind of camping I'm talking about!" Calvin answered as he started packing up his deck chair. "Since the trail isn't that long, how about a little friendly competition? Last one down does the cooking?"

"We'll take that bet." Sarah assured him. "Come on Preston! It's this way!"

Meanwhile, over in Blue Bay Harbour, Levi and Brody's trip was turning out to be more than a little different. Having found the clearing in Levi's flashback, it seemed that they had indeed found themselves close to the Wind Ninja Academy, far too close for comfort for the Academy Guard by the looks of things. They had quickly found themselves surrounded and under attack.

"This is pretty wild!" Levi called out as he tossed one of the red-trimmed ninjas into a few of his comrades. He clutched his ribs, where he had already taken a couple of hard hits. "They aren't kidding around!"

"Don't kid yourself Levi, if they wanted us taken out they could have done so by now!" Brody told him, taking one of them down, before striking him in the solar plexus, driving the air out him and leaving him down and out. "You see the way they always leave gaps? That's because they're trying to encourage us to run! People fight harder if they think they don't have a way to escape!"

"Well they don't know us very well then do they!" Levi answered as he kicked down a couple more. He heard a rumbling and turned in time to see two of the yellow-trimmed ninjas had dove into the ground. He looked around for them, before they burst out of the ground, throwing him high into the air, tumbling over and over again. Levi managed to get a hand down and flipped backwards to his feet.

"YAMERU!" They heard someone yell out. They recognised it as Japanese, instructing them to stop. Three figures blurred into view, dressed similarly though a little differently than the others. Their outfits were a little more ornate than the others, and also seemed to be armoured. With another instruction, the rest of the ninja all exploded smoke bombs, disappearing just as quickly as they had appeared. They left only the three behind.

"Who are you?" One of them asked, one that whose outfit was trimmed in red. "How can you do that?"

"Do what?" Levi asked.

"Uh…Levi?" Brody asked, before pointing down. It was only then that Levi realised he was standing on top of the lake. He suddenly sank and plunged into the lake. Quickly swimming to the edge, he hauled himself out. "How…how did you…?"

"I…I don't know." He spluttered as he pulled himself out of the lake onto the banks.

"Bullshit, you mean to tell me you can just walk on water and you don't know how?" The one trimmed in yellow asked him.

"Well…yes, unfortunately." Levi said as Brody came to his side. "Something happened to me. I've lost a lot of my memories from my past. I don't remember much of anything before I was about 12."

"Yet somehow you seem to know some of our techniques." The one trimmed in red chimed in. "We all saw that fight, you both used some of our moves, and you…you can…"

"My father was Dane Romero!" Brody called out. The one in red held up a hand as soon as he heard this. "He trained me."

"Dane Romero?" He asked. He pulled off his mask, looking to them. "Now you see, there's a little problem with that story, Dane Romero and his kids are dead."

"My dad might be, but I'm definitely not." Brody told them. "Aiden…I really don't know, but I was taken by the aliens that attacked his farm."

"Alien abduction? That's the story you're going with?" The one in Yellow answered as he too revealed his face.

"Uh…Dustin? I think we're pretty much the last people who should doubt alien abduction stories." The one in blue said to him. "Every one of us has been abducted at one time or another."

"Let's say we give you the benefit of the doubt. Let's say that we assume you are Brody Romero. Dane was a master of the Air Style. If you taught this man, then how would he know how to walk on water?"

"I…really don't know." Levi admitted. "But I have a feeling it's her we need to talk to." He pointed to the one trimmed in blue.

"Me?" She asked.

"Tori, do you recognise this man?" The one in red asked. The woman pulled off her mask, but Levi was disappointed to see that it wasn't the woman he remembered from his flashback. It was a blonde-haired Caucasian woman that was wearing the sensei armour. She inspected Levi's face closely but shook her head.

"No, I really don't think we've met." She told him.

"One of my few memories from my time as a kid was in this very clearing." Levi explained. "I was talking with an Asian woman wearing sensei armour just like yours."

"We think that Levi might have been here as a kid." Brody told them. "We were hoping maybe if we could talk, we might be able to figure out what his memories meant."

"You understand, we don't really get many visitors out here." Dustin told them. "Certainly not many that attack our guards."

"Yeah…tell the one I hit with the rock I'm sorry about that." Brody told them. "We knew we were being followed, but…"

"Oh, believe me if you saw him, the fact that he got hit with a rock is going to be the least of his problems when I de-brief." The one in red answered. "My name's Shane, I'm the Air Style sensei. This is Dustin, Sensei of the Earth Style and this is Tori, the Water Style sensei."

"Pleased to meet you." Brody said, shaking hands with them. Levi did likewise.

"So, what do you think?" Shane asked.

"Cam's been here the longest." Dustin answered. "If anyone's likely to know much about the students before our time it'll be him."

"Alright, come with us." Shane told them, gesturing to the waterfall. "You understand that what you're about to see is one of the best-kept secrets on Earth."

"You think we don't know that?" Brody asked. "Even dad didn't tell me how to get here. If it wasn't for Levi's flashback, all I'd know is that it was in Blue Bay somewhere."

"Point taken." Dustin answered as they all started to walk across the lake. Brody paused.

"Um…how am I meant to do that?" He asked.

"Oh…you'll be fine if you walk where we walk. There's a force-field bridge just under the surface of the lake." Shane informed him. "But if you step off the bridge…yeah, that's when you take a swim unless you're up on your Water Style."

Brody and Levi followed on, making sure they followed right behind the three sensei. As they followed on, Brody couldn't help smiling. While he had been to the family farm and he loved his life there, coming here felt like he was coming home.

Back in Summer Cove, Jennifer, known to the kids as Principal Randall, was putting the final preparations in for her dinner guest.

She had dimmed the lights, and just finished lighting the candles when she heard the doorbell. She quickly checked the clock to remind her of the timing for her meal, and headed to the door, taking a deep breath as she got there. She smiled as she opened the door, finding Mick standing there.

"Hi." He greeted her, waving as he stood before her. He was carrying a box of candy and some flowers. He didn't know anything about wine, and he knew that Jennifer had an extensive wine cellar anyway and so he had figured there wasn't much point in risking bringing her something she wouldn't like. "Wow, you just look…wow!"

"Well, thank you." She replied as she showed him in. She was wearing a black dinner dress. "You look pretty good yourself."

"Yeah, I thought the whole coveralls look wouldn't really fit for dinner." Mick told her as he came in. "Security were a lot more gentle than the last time I was here."

"Yes, I remembered to give them your picture and tell them I was expecting you this time around." Jennifer told him. "We have a little while before dinner, do you want to head to the sitting room for a bit?"

"That sounds lovely." Mick answered as he followed her through. Jennifer gestured to the couch, where Mick took a seat. She sat beside him, looking to him.

"So, how have things been at the school?" She asked him. "How's our new student fitting in?"

"She's…gone back home." Mick told her. "We managed to help her get her ship up and running."

"You sound a lot happier about that than the last time we talked." Jennifer commented.

"You know, if you'd told me before that I would help a member of the Royal Family, I don't think I could even laugh about it." Mick replied honestly. "But Viera, she did everything she could. Without her armour and her ship, there's no way we'd have been able to defeat Drillion."

"It sounds like she showed who she really is when the situation called for it." Principal Randall said, pouring them both a glass of wine. Mick picked up his glass and he looked to her.

"When she went back, she promised she'd try to make the Lion Galaxy a better place. For the first time, I actually feel like I can believe that." Mick said as he took a sip of his wine. "She…she let me talk to my parents."

"Your parents?" Jennifer asked.

"Yeah, I was surprised they were alive as well! They look just like I remember them! Well…maybe a bit older, but they looked happy and healthy and…Viera actually offered to take me with her."

"She offered to take you home?" She asked. "And you didn't go?"

"Well, I WANTED to, but I couldn't go until we're finished with Galvanax." Mick told her. "I mean, I'll probably go back there some day, but while Galvanax is still around, I can't in good conscience leave."

Jennifer gave him a little smile as she heard this. He took another sip of his wine.

"I still can't believe my family are still alive." He commented. "I mean…they worked in the weapons' factories so they were in protected industry, but with the way things were, I was…I wasn't sure I'd ever see them again. I always hoped my decision to take my dad's place would give them a little longer."

"I'm really glad your parents are still around. You clearly love them very much." Jennifer answered as she looked to him. "It's wonderful to hear you talk about them so fondly."

"Well, your parents couldn't have thought that badly of you." Mick answered. "I mean, just look at this place."

"Yeah, just because they left me a lot doesn't mean to say they were exactly happy about a lot of my life choices." She told him. "My dad made it pretty clear he wasn't happy with me going into education."

She looked to her wine glass as she thought about it.

"This bottle was part of a case my dad bought when he earned his first million." She told him.

"FIRST million?" Mick asked her. She just looked to him.

"You know how the Tiens own pretty much everything in this city?" Jennifer asked him. He just nodded. "Well, it wasn't always that way. Before they showed up, it was the Hastings' that held that position in town."

"Your dad was THAT loaded?" He asked. She just nodded.

"Have you never wondered how the school never seems to be short of supplies? How there just happens to be an anonymous donation any time we need something?" Jennifer asked him. "Dad wanted me to go into the family business, but it just never appealed to me. I wanted to do something for other people instead of just enriching me and mine. When I told dad, I wanted to be a teacher, he completely flipped out, but I stuck to my guns. It was what I wanted to do. In fact, I made a point out of picking some of the schools where I thought I could do the most good."

"Which is how you ended up in the place where you got stabbed." Mick reminded her. She laughed a little.

"Yes, well…that aside, I felt like what I was doing was doing real good in the world. What's more I felt good doing it." She told him. "It's kind of like this wine. My dad bought it when he earned his first million. He kept it in his cellar always swearing he was saving it for a special occasion. In the end, now, almost thirty years later…this is the first bottle that's been opened. He waited too long and never found an occasion 'special' enough, so now…now it's just sitting in a case doing no one any good."

"Until tonight." Mick answered. "So, what's the occasion?"

"Does there need to be one? What's the point in owning everything if you never get a chance to enjoy any of it? What's the point in being the richest person in the city if you never feel good about what you could be doing with it?" She asked him. "You want to help us here, you know you wouldn't feel right about leaving until you do. That's your gift to us, and for what it's worth, I'm really glad you're staying."

She took another sip of her wine, but just winced and spit it back out.

"And…the wine's gone sour. It really does look like dad left it too long." She told him as the oven timer sounded. "It's best not to leave anything too long and let it go sour. I should get that."

With that, Jennifer headed into the kitchen and opened the oven, pulling out her garlic bread. She put it up on the top of the cooker, checking on her pasta, she heard something behind her. She turned to see Mick standing behind her.

"Mick?" She asked. "What are you…?"

"I hated the wine." He told her, reaching out to her face. "I don't want to wait until things go sour."

"Neither do I." She replied, moving in and kissing him softly.


	26. Consult an Expert

In Blue Bay Harbour, Brody and Levi were taken to some guest quarters. Tori opened the door, showing them inside.

"Cam, the Academy Headmaster is currently working on some things." Tori told them. "You can wait and freshen up here until he's ready to see you."

"How long do you think that'll be?" Levi asked her. She just shrugged.

"Cam can be a little tunnel-vision when he's working on his tech." Tori told them.

"We really need to get back to Summer Cove, we have commitments there." Brody said, hoping to spur them into action a little faster. "I appreciate you seeing us, but we have to get back. There's a lot going on in Summer Cove right now."

"I promise you I'll send for you as soon as Cam's ready." She answered. "In the meantime, rest up. I know it's not an easy hike up here."

"Thanks." Levi replied, putting his bag down on the bed. As Tori left, Brody stared at Levi.

"What was that?" He asked. "I thought you wanted answers!"

"I do." Levi told him. "But its not like we can find out much more until we talk to this Cam guy is it? If he's the one with the records, then we just have to be patient."

"But you were here…"

"I was a kid in my memory, it could be twenty years ago! There's a good chance that no one that's here now even knew me." Levi reminded him. "People do move on you know. I mean, your dad did."

"Yeah, not that much." Brody said with a smile, looking around. "Check this out…this looks just like my bedroom back at the farm!"

"It does?" Levi asked, before taking a quick glance around.

"Yeah, it does…same colour, same Kanji wall-hangings…It looks like he re-created this place on the farm!" Brody stated, going to one of the wall-hangings. "Violence is the first answer of the fool…"

"…and the last resort of the wise man." Levi completed. Brody just looked to him and nodded.

"Yeah, that's right. Dad had these hanging in my bedroom, I learned to read these before I learned to read English." Brody told him. "How did you know?"

"I…guess something in the back of my mind remembered it." Levi answered. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked up at Brody. "Say Brody, a thought occurs to me. If I was here when I was a kid, and you and your dad only left when you were two…do you think it's possible we were here at the same time?"

"I guess it's possible." Brody said with a shrug. "I don't remember a whole lot about the Academy. I was only two when I left. I remember reading somewhere that most people don't have any real meaningful memories from the first five years of their life."

"I wish it only was five years." Levi commented. "Man, it's wild to think we might have known each other before and not even know about it."

They were interrupted as a kid arrived, carrying a pitcher of iced water and some glasses.

"Sensei Hanson asked me to bring this for you." The kid told them.

"Just leave it on the side there." Levi told him, dismissing the kid. Brody poured himself a glass and took a sip while was still considering the room.

"Yeah, I guess that is strange." Brody answered. "So, do you want to take the first shower or the second?"

"Go ahead." Levi said, laying back on the bed. Brody went into the shower room to get cleaned up. Levi poured himself a glass and took a sip.

Meanwhile, in Ninja-Comms, Tori arrived, finding the rest of the team already assembled. Cam was sitting at the computer, taking a look at the screen.

"Alright, I did what you asked." Tori commented. "But I want it on the record, I think a lot of this is just super-creepy."

"It's a necessary precaution." Cam answered as he viewed the screen. On the various monitors were different angles of the room Levi and Brody had been shown into. While the last Headmaster, Cam's father, had been more focused on the old ways, Cam was a little more flexible with the adoption of technology, including an extensive surveillance network around the Academy. They could see Levi lying on the bed, while the sound of a shower running could be heard. "We'll know pretty quickly if they're on the level. That's Sensei Romero's old quarters. The one claiming to be his son should recognise it if he's telling the truth."

"He seemed to recognise those hangings." Hunter commented.

"That only means he knows how to read Kanji. There are a few million people who can do that as well." Cam reminded him. "Which is why I had Jason deliver some refreshments. When he goes to collect the glasses, we can run a DNA analysis."

"You brought your kid in on this?" Dustin asked. "I'm sorry to say Cam, but I'm kind of siding with Tori on this one. This is basically an infringement of…"

"You can lay off the lawyer stuff Waldo! As far as the world knows this place doesn't exist which means the laws don't mean jack shit once someone crosses the waterfall." Cam told him. "You want due process, you head back out to your firm."

"I'm really not sure that's how it works." Hunter chipped in.

"Whatever." Cam replied gruffly. "Don't you all have classes to teach or something?"

"My schedule's clear, I'll stick around." Shane said, pulling up a chair.

"Yeah…I think I'll just…go teach my students…something." Dustin replied.

"Yeah, me too." Tori agreed as she followed him.

"Well, I have some business at the Thunder Ninja Academy." Hunter told Cam. "Call us if you need us. Blake, you coming?"

"Hey, you're Head Sensei, I'm just freelance." Blake remined him as he also pulled up a chair. Hunter just sighed and shook his head.

"It's at times like this I know we're adopted." He answered as he left.

Over in Summer Cove, the rest of the Ninja Steel team had gotten down to the lake and were busy settling in for the night. The tents had already been set up, and Calvin was in the middle of setting up a fire-pit.

"Cal, I thought you wanted to get this grill going." Preston teased him. "You were really enthusiastic about it at the top of the mountain."

"Maybe if I had a little help, it would go a little faster." He replied as he started to rearrange the wood to get the smaller kindling into good position to light.

"You want a little help?" Preston asked him.

"Yes, that's what I said." Calvin replied. Preston threw out his hands at which a jet of flame erupted forth. Calvin jumped back several feet as the flames leapt up from the fire pit. "WHOA!"

"Sometimes these powers can be really handy." Preston commented, blowing on his fingers like a gun. "And since you guys will be eating, technically it's well within the 'not for personal gain' category."

"Yeah…I think that's being more than a little flexible with the rules there Presto." Hayley commented. "But since I am kind of hungry, I suppose I'm cool with it."

"So how long do you think this should take?" Sarah asked.

"I don't know…I just need to let the fire die down a bit so we don't cremate the outside and leave the insides raw. I guess….we can get started in about half an hour?"

"Think you can do without us for a little while?" Hayley asked. "Sarah, you fancy a little dip in the lake before dinner?"

"Yeah, sure that sounds great!" Sarah answered. "I'll just get my suit!"

"I'll stay here and keep Calvin company." Preston told them. "I'm not really a huge swimming fan."

"Alright, we'll be back in about half an hour." Hayley answered, kissing Calvin softly. "Try not to burn the forest down while we're gone."

"See you later!" Preston answered, high-fiving Sarah. She and Hayley left to go and get changed. As the left, Preston looked to Calvin, who was shaking his head as he looked at the fire.

"So, think we have all the wood we need?" Preston asked him.

"Yeah, we should be fine as far as that goes, we just need the flames to die down a little." Calvin answered as he sat down. "In the meantime, I guess that gives us a little time to relax after all that hiking!"

"Now that sounds like a great idea!" Preston told him as he set up his deck chair.

In Blue Bay, Brody was just finishing up with his shower and came back into the room, finding Levi beginning to look around. He wasn't too surprised, it had now been a while since Tori had left them, and it wasn't as though they had outfitted the Academy accommodations with a TV, but when he returned to the room, Levi wasn't just looking around. The kid from before came in and picked up the tray, taking it out of the room. Levi just stared at the wall hangings.

"Hey Levi, what…what's happening?" Brody asked.

"I don't know, I just felt a little restless." Levi answered. "I can't help feeling like I know this place."

"Well if you were here as a kid, I'm sure you probably stayed in one of these units." Brody concluded. "Most of the units look the same."

"Yeah, but when we were coming through here I couldn't help noticing most of the units had about half a dozen people coming and going. They're basically dorm rooms." Levi told him.

"So?" Brody asked him.

"Well, this room only has a couple of beds. It looks like only a couple of people lived here." Levi told him. "Maybe someone important?"

"Like a Sensei." Brody surmised. "Wait…Levi, did you notice that?"

"Notice what?" Levi asked. Brody gestured to him to be quiet, and he looked up to a vent near the ceiling. After a moment, there was a small, barely noticeable red flash. Brody went across, getting up on a chair and pulled off the vent. Sure enough, he found a camera. Levi saw it and tensed up.

"They've been spying on us?" Levi asked. "Brody, I don't know about you, but I'm done with these games!"

"Definitely!" Brody agreed, ripping the camera out and tossing it across the room. "Looks like we're going to the Headmaster's office!"

Meanwhile, in Ninja-Ops, Shane was watching the cameras while Cam was just returning from the bathroom.

"Uh…Cam, it looks like they found your cameras." Shane told him.

"What? How?" He asked.

"The one claiming to be the Romero kid found the camera in the vent." Shane told him. "And from what I saw, he looked pissed!"

"Then I guess we're having that meeting a little earlier than I anticipated." Cam replied as he gestured to them to follow him. "Let's head them off, bring them in here before they cause a scene."

Back in Summer Cove, Sarah was enjoying a gentle swim when Hayley broke through the surface. She looked to the White Ranger.

"Alright, I think we've found a limit to my power." Hayley told her. "It seems I can't talk to fish."

"Really?" Sarah asked.

"I can hear them alright, but it just comes through all distorted and I can't understand it." She told her. "Not to mention talking underwater really doesn't work."

"I guess I'm not the only one that likes experiments." Sarah chuckled.

"Well, some experiments anyway." Hayley stated. Sarah just looked at her a little confused.

"What's that meant to mean?" She asked him.

"Sarah, I couldn't help noticing, when you left the camp you high-fived Preston." She stated.

"Yeah, what's wrong with that?" Sarah asked. "We do stuff like that all the time!"

"You also high-five me, Calvin, Brody…you were able to do it to Levi too once you got over your fan-crush on him." Hayley reminded her. "I just thought maybe you'd be, you know, a little further along the track?"

"I'm not sure I follow." Sarah said.

"You guys are, well…if I didn't know you then I wouldn't even know you two had dated." Hayley commented. "Have…have you guys even kissed?"

"I'm not sure I'm entirely comfortable talking about…"

"Oh my God, that was a 'no' if ever I heard one." Hayley replied with a small chuckle. Sarah fell very quiet as she heard this. It was true, she and Preston hadn't kissed yet. It was something that had never really occurred to Sarah, or something that she'd ever really paid terribly much mind to. Sure, she was with Preston and she had an idea that's where things were heading at some point, but it never really occurred to her that there was any kind of timetable or anything. She and Preston loved hanging around together, practicing his tricks, running her experiments, and just goofing around. It was fun, but was there something she was missing? She would consult with Shelby or Kendall when there was something outside her area of expertise that she wanted a more informed opinion on. Calvin and Hayley had been together a lot longer than she and Preston had, would it be such a bad idea to get a second opinion?

"Well, speaking completely hypothetically of course, if that was the case, would that be weird?" Sarah asked her. Hayley gestured to the shore.

"Perhaps we should take this back on land." She suggested. "You know…somewhere that if we get distracted we don't forget to tread water and drown."

"Alright, that's probably a good idea." Sarah conceded as they headed back towards the shore.

In Blue Bay Harbour, Levi and Brody made their way up to the main Academy building. When they got there, they found no guards, but there was a very secure looking door. Brody placed his hands on it and shoved, trying to open it, but to no avail. Brody lost his temper and started pounding a fist into the door.

"Open up!" He demanded.

"Brody, you might want to ease up on that." Levi suggested. "You don't want to attract the guards again."

"I'm done playing these games!" Brody snapped, pounding the door again.

"Wait, what's this?" Levi asked, seeing a podium next to the door. On the top of it was a kind of sliding tile puzzle that had been jumbled. Levi started sliding the tiles.

"Maybe there's another way…" Brody started to say, before he was interrupted as the door suddenly opened. He backed away. OK, what just happened?"

"I'd say it was this." Levi said, gesturing to the tile puzzle.

"How…how did you know how to do that?" Brody asked.

"That's an excellent question!" Cam asked as he got to the door with Blake and Shane. "That code is only given to the sensei! How could you possibly have known that code?"

"I…honestly have no idea." Levi admitted. Brody just looked straight at Cam.

"You're the headmaster?" He asked.

"Yes, I am." Cam answered.

"Then I suggest we move this inside." Brody told him. "Unless you want to discuss it out here in front of your students."

"That won't be necessary." Cam replied, gesturing them inside as he looked around, seeing that the commotion had indeed drawn the attention of guards and nearby students. "Shane, do something about this."

"Anyone that's still here in thirty seconds cleans every toilet in the academy for the next six months!" Shane called out. He smiled as within moments everyone was gone. "Works every time."

Back at the edge of the lake in Summer Cove, Hayley and Sarah were just finishing getting dressed.

"Look, I know that Preston and I we're not exactly…normal people." Sarah said nervously as she pulled on her t-shirt. "I'm not even sure what a normal person is if I'm honest."

"Yeah, you two are unique alright." Hayley told her.

"But…we're not that unique, right?" Sarah asked her. "I mean, when I was in Amber Beach, I saw my friends. Tyler and Shelby, Kendall and Matt, Koda and Alessandra…I can't deny that I was a little jealous by what they all had together. I know there was a part of me that wanted that for myself."

"I think most people do." Hayley told her. "I mean, I know things never worked out between my parents, but they had a lot of good years, and mom's really happy with Trevor now. It's taking a little longer, but I know dad's looking again."

"So, you think Preston will want that stuff too?" Sarah asked her.

"I really doubt he'd have asked you out if the thought hadn't occurred to him." Hayley said as she looked to Sarah. The Pink Ranger started to get a little more uncomfortable.

"So, we should probably…I mean…I guess we should…" Sarah started to say, trying to collect her thoughts. "I really like Preston, and the last thing I want is for him to think that I don't."

"Well, the good news is that you're in a pretty good place for it." Hayley told her. "Maybe after dinner you and Preston could go for a nice moonlit walk? I'm sure Calvin and I can find something to do at the camp to give you both some privacy."

"Yeah, that…that sounds…yeah, that's the thing to do." Sarah said, trying to psych herself up. She took a few deep breaths. "I mean, moonlit walks, that's what couples do right?"

"I'm sure it'll be perfect." Hayley assured her. Just then, they heard something in the undergrowth.

"Hey, are you two dressed?" They heard Preston yelling.

"Yeah, we're dressed!" Sarah yelled back.

"Calvin wanted to tell you that he's got the food on the grill." Preston told them. "In fact, his exact words were 'tell the girls to get their butts here before I eat everything'."

"Now THAT sounds like Calvin alright!" Hayley chuckled. "Come on, let's get some food."

As they headed back towards the camp, Sarah couldn't help thinking about what Hayley had said. Maybe a little shove in the right direction could help her figure out something she hadn't been able to on her own, and Hayley and Calvin seemed to know what they were doing, who was she to question?


	27. More Questions Than Answers

Cam, Blake and Shane brought the others back into Ninja-Ops. Brody, as much as possible wanted to maintain focus on their hosts, given the way things had gone down. They had found a camera inside the quarters Cam had given them to rest up in, at least, they'd found one he set up. Brody was sure there were probably more, but he couldn't be bothered to find him. He wanted the games to end, and he wanted to get some straight answers from them. Levi though seemed to be a lot more relaxed all things considered. At least, on first glance it looked like he was relaxed. On closer inspection, he was getting a somewhat distant look on his face again, like he was getting something from his past.

"This is quite a set-up you have here." Levi commented. "I mean, we have a pretty great set-up thanks to Mick and Sarah, but this is…"

"I have a lot of time on my hands." Cam told them, turning on a communicator. "Tori, Dustin, Hunter, can you all report to Ninja-Ops as soon as possible please?"

"I don't appreciate being spied on." Brody said, gesturing to the screens. Cam looked to them and realised they were still showing images of the room Brody and Levi had been given to rest up in. Cam just pressed a button and took down the recordings.

"I'm sorry about that. I just wanted to take some precautions." He answered. "I just wanted to see if you were who you said you were. I wanted to see if you recognised your quarters."

"My quarters?" Brody asked. "You mean that…"

"That unit belonged to Dane Romero." Cam answered. "We…"

"Hey, don't try to blame us!" Tori said as she came in with Dustin. Hunter ninja-streaked in a short way after them. "For the record I always thought this was a bad idea."

"Thanks for that Tori." Cam replied wearily. "Alright, I wanted to see if putting you in your dad's old quarters would give us indications you remembered it."

"I left when I was two!" Brody reminded him. "I don't remember much of anything to do with this place, but given how we've been treated, I'm not certain that's a bad thing."

"Dude, that was cold!" Shane said with a smile, looking to Cam. "Fair, but cold!"

"I really wish my staff were a little more supportive." Cam sighed. "Alright, maybe that wasn't the best idea, but we currently have nearly three hundred staff and students on site here and their safety is my responsibility, so you can forgive me for being a little sceptical."

"I guess I'd have been a little hesitant if it was my team." Brody conceded. "So, are you satisfied that I am who I say I am?"

"I'd say I'm more like eighty five percent sure." Cam replied honestly. "I sincerely doubt anyone would go to this much effort or get this far if they didn't have some knowledge of our ways. So…against my better judgement, I'm going to go on faith and give you what you need."

Cam got his remote control again and clicked it, pulling up an old photograph. It showed people dressed in sensei armour and one in the Headmaster's robes. Brody could also see another man that looked very familiar in the picture.

"Dad." Brody said, seeing him. Levi pointed to one of the other figures in the picture.

"That's her." Levi rushed out. "That's the woman from my flash-back!"

"Dane Romero apparently you know." Cam told them. "The former headmaster was my father, Kanoi Watanabe. The others were the sensei back then."

"We all became the Sensei in late 2003." Shane informed them.

"The woman you pointed out right here was Mariko Hyoshi, former Water Style Sensei." Cam informed them.

"I took the mantle after she retired." Tori informed them.

"Retired?" Levi asked.

"It was fifteen years ago." Cam reminded him. "Mariko left the academy in 2003. The others stayed for a while to show their replacements the ropes, but Mariko decided to leave shortly after the Lothor attacks."

"Lothor?" Brody asked. "Dad told my brother and I stories about him. Wasn't he a warlord centuries ago?"

"He was." Cam answered. "But a rogue Wind Ninja Academy Student named Kia took on his name and attacked Earth with some aliens back in 2003."

"So, this Mariko, she was the one that spoke to me as a kid." Levi said, looking to Tori. "What do you remember about her?"

"I…I remember she was my sensei." Tori replied. "She did leave pretty quickly after the attacks. There was a lot of talk about it at the time. Some people said she was traumatised after the attacks. Some said she was injured. All I remember was she was pretty adamant she didn't want to stay. She barely stayed long enough to present me with my armour."

"She left?" Levi asked. "Do you know where she went?"

"I'm afraid she never forwarded that information to us. When she left, she was pretty adamant she wanted to go off-the-grid." Cam informed them. "We got a few reports from her during The Armada invasions, but they stopped pretty suddenly. I sent out some agents to see if they could find out why. I'm…afraid it wasn't good news."

"Not good news?" Levi asked. "You mean…?"

"She's currently in Silver Hills Cemetery." Cam informed them, pulling up an image of a grave. "Before you ask, I did get verification. It was my agent that found her remains. I'm sorry I couldn't give you better news."

"So, what about me? What about who I am?" Levi asked. "I must have been about eight when I left the Academy. Are you honestly telling me there aren't any records of anyone that age leaving?"

"Like I said, there are nearly three hundred students here. That doesn't include their kids." Cam reminded him. "There could have been any number of them that left around that time. There's no way I can be sure which of those kids you were."

"So, after all that, you're telling me that you can't tell me anything useful?" Levi asked him.

"All I can tell you is that you appear to have been trained in some Water Style techniques." Cam replied. He pulled out a folder and handed it to Brody. "I've put everything we could find about Dane and Mariko in this file. I really hope it helps you find what you're looking for."

"I've sent someone to remove all the cameras from MY quarters!" Shane said, glaring at Cam. "You can use those quarters to rest up before you head out."

"Thanks for this." Brody answered, gesturing to the file. "We'll head back in the morning."

"Feel free to explore the academy grounds." Dustin told them. "Now we've got past the 'Truman Show' part of the proceedings, consider yourself our guests. For real this time."

"We appreciate that." Levi responded rather dejectedly. "But I think I'd rather just get ready to head home. Maybe I'll find something in that file."

With that, Brody and Levi left the room, heading back to their quarters.

"Well, that was helpful!" Shane said sarcastically. "Well, if anyone needs me, I have a family I need to get back to."

"I'll give you a ride back to town." Dustin told him. "You coming Tori?"

"Um…I've got some stuff I need to do around here first." Tori told them. "I'll catch up with you guys later."

In Summer Cove, the rest of the team were settling in and enjoying some food. It turned out that Calvin was pretty good with campfire cooking! He'd also made sure that there was plenty to go around. Everyone was sitting around, well and truly stuffed as he tossed some more wood on the fire to keep it going.

"By the time this lot burns down a little enough of dinner should have gone down that we should be ready for the marshmallows." He said as he joined Hayley, putting his arm around her. Preston saw the closeness between Calvin and Hayley. He was always envious of that, even before they all became Rangers. While Ace and Cherry had been the "power couple" at the school, Hayley and Calvin were always somewhat of love's young dream at Summer Cove High. They were just so comfortable in each other's personal space, so casual with intimate contact in public, it was the kind of thing most people wished they could have. Preston looked over to Sarah, who was pulling a blanket around herself as she sat near the fire. He could remember what Calvin had said up on the mountain. He took a deep breath and steeled himself.

"Well, it sounds like we have a little time then." He said, getting up. "Sarah, you want to take a walk?"

"Oh." She replied, looking towards Hayley. The White Ranger had talked to her earlier at the lake about this. She had suggested that maybe this would be a good opportunity to move things with Preston forward a little. She put down her blanket and got up. "Um…sure, that sounds really nice!"

"We'll mind the fire." Calvin said as he saw them heading off.

"Sure thing." Preston said as they headed off. Hayley and Calvin watched them go, and then settled back, looking to each other.

"A nice romantic, moon-lit walk." She said to him. "What could go wrong?"

"We are way too good at this." Calvin answered, settling back with her. "Remember our first camping trip?"

"You mean the one we spent almost entirely up that tree because you didn't see the bear cave on our way out?" Hayley chuckled.

"It was romantic!" He protested. "In its own way."

"I'm just glad she wandered off once the food was done." Hayley commented, kissing her boyfriend softly on the cheek. "So, why is it you can only cook over a campfire, and you can't cook in an actual kitchen?"

"I'm a dude." Calvin told her. "Unless there's a risk of losing your eyebrows, it's not really cooking."

Back in Blue Bay Harbour, Levi was in the room trying to get some sleep, but he was more than a little restless. Brody had taken the others up on their invitation to explore the grounds, leaving Levi to try and rest up. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to relax here, not since he hadn't really gotten any of the answers he was looking for. It seemed like their trip had only given him more questions than answers.

He decided to go for a walk to clear his head. Heading outside, the sun had already set. Night time up in the mountains of Blue Bay Harbour was a beautiful time, and he was sure if it wasn't for the frustration of his fractured memories, knowing that this place meant something to him but that he couldn't quite put together exactly what, he would be inspired to write a song.

Classes had all ended for the evening, and so with the exception of the students who lived on the Academy grounds, most of the place was now empty. There were a few people milling around, but for the most part it was quiet. Levi smiled as he saw a couple of teenagers, one from the Earth Style classes and another from the Air Style heading off towards some woods. He could recognise the signs as the two youngsters were close to each other but trying not to be too close or touch each other. He could see the way they were looking around for signs of anyone watching, before hand-in-hand, they ran off into the forest together. He just smiled and shook his head.

"It's amazing how no matter how different some places are, some things are always the same." Tori said as she appeared next to Levi. "There are rules against fraternisation in the Academy. As a sensei, strictly speaking I should report that…"

"But…"

"But, I'm adult enough to know that some things are always going to happen." She concluded. "Not to mention I'd be kind of a hypocrite if I said anything about anyone having relationships on campus."

"Why do I get the feeling you're not here to talk about teenagers slipping off to make out?" Levi asked her. Tori came around in front of him.

"There's…a little bit of the story that Cam doesn't know." Tori told her. "Mariko wasn't exactly close to many people at the academy, she was a really private person."

"I'm getting the impression that's a common thing around here." Levi told him. Tori nodded.

"Well, the thing is, she did talk to me a fair bit." Tori told him. "Shane, Dustin and I weren't always the greatest of students. In fact, you could say at once time we were the ones that were never out of the Headmaster's office."

"OK?" Levi said, not quite getting where this was going.

"To put it bluntly, there was a time, it didn't look like I was going to graduate at all. Mariko took me under her wing for a while." Tori informed him. "I worked with her a lot, but there was always something about her, I always felt like there was a sadness there. The night before Lothor first attacked the academy, she came to me and she told me she was planning to leave the Academy."

"Wait, she was going to leave the Academy BEFORE the attacks?" Levi asked. Tori nodded.

"Then Lothor came and everyone was captured and…it delayed things, but she was always planning to go." Tori informed him.

"Why would she want to leave?" He asked her. Tori didn't say anything, she just pulled out a diary and handed it to him.

"When I took over as sensei, she gave me this before she left." Tori told him. "She said there was a reason she couldn't stay for the transition period."

"What reason would that be?" He asked her.

"She never said, but I have my theories." Tori told him. "She told me I'd find answers in there, but I could never bring myself to read it. But I thought, maybe you could get something from it."

"Thanks." Levi answered.

"You're welcome." Tori answered. "Now, it's getting late, my family will be wondering where I am."

"Sure, thanks again for this." He replied.

"I just really hope it helps." She told him as she turned, before ninja-streaking away. Levi looked to the diary, before heading back into the cabin.

Back in Summer Cove, Preston and Sarah were walking by the shore of the lake, taking in the night air. Sarah looked up to the sky.

"It's a shame there's so much light pollution out in the city now." Sarah commented. "You don't get to see the stars this clearly in the city anymore."

"Yeah, it's really nice out here isn't it?" Preston said, his hand finding its way into Sarah's. The Pink Ranger looked down into his hand and smiled a little. Preston could feel his stomach knotting up and his chest getting tight as he thought about what Calvin had told him. He stopped, but without warning, and so as Sarah didn't notice, she ended up getting pulled back, stumbling into his chest with a little yelp. "I'm sorry…!"

"It's…it's fine." She assured him, looking up into his eyes. Hayley had told her to expect this. This was what she was talking about. Here, on their own, she suddenly wished she hadn't eaten quite so many sausages. She was starting to feel a little nauseous, something she put down to nerves as she looked to him. "So…um…this is…pretty romantic."

"Yeah, it kind of is." Preston said, looking down to her. "I guess…as a second date goes…"

"This is kind of nice." Sarah said as they started to draw towards each other. She closed her eyes and started to concentrate, repeating in her head, 'don't throw up, don't throw up, don't throw up'.

'Alright Preston, she's into this.' Preston thought to himself as he closed his eyes and pulled in. 'Alright, you've seen this in movies, it can't be that hard…'

CRACK! They both recoiled as their foreheads collided with a horrific crunch.

"OW!" Sarah called out, clutching her forehead.

"Son of a BITCH!" Preston said as he also grabbed his forehead. "Sarah, I'm so sorry!"

"It's…it's alright, it's not just you." Sarah replied. "I guess…it's the first time we call that…a practice shot."

"First?" Preston asked. "This is your first?"

"Um…yeah?" She asked. "You?"

"Yeah." Preston answered. He took a deep breath as he thought 'great, way to really crank up the pressure. I get to ruin her first kiss.'

"OK, so…let's give this another shot." She said. "So…what do they do on TV? That's it…I didn't lean to the side."

"Neither did I." Preston chuckled. "No wonder that didn't work."

"So…what do we do, go…left or right?" She asked.

"Maybe, you go left I go right?" Preston asked.

"My right or your right?" Sarah asked.

"What?" He asked.

"We're facing each other." Sarah reminded him. "If I go to my right and you go to your left we have the same problem."

"So…both go the same way?" Preston asked. "Left, or right?"

"Right." She answered. "We're both right-handed."

"OK, let's give this a go." Preston answered. They both closed their eyes and started to move in, each cocking their heads to the side as they went. They felt their lips connecting and then…

"OW!" They both called out.

"You bit me!" Sarah called out, checking on her lip.

"You poked me in the eye with your nose!" Preston responded, clutching his eye. "Man, how can we suck so much at this?"

"I don't know! This should be easy right?" Sarah screamed. "I mean, when Hayley was talking to me about the fact we've not kissed…"

"Wait, Hayley talked to you about this?" Preston asked her. Sarah gulped.

"Well, yeah, I mean down by the lake we were talking and…"

"Calvin was talking to me about this too! Up on the mountain!" Preston told her. They just looked at each other.

"So…this wasn't your idea?" Sarah asked.

"NO! I thought this was what you wanted!" Preston called out. They both started laughing. "Oh man, I am…I am so embarrassed right now."

"This has to go down in history as one of the worst attempts at a first kiss in history." Sarah replied. "So, I guess the question is, where do we go from here?"

"Well…who says we need to go anywhere?" Preston asked her. Sarah just looked at him.

"I'm not sure I follow." She replied.

"Well…were you happy with things before?" Preston asked. Sarah just nodded.

"Of course, I was." She answered. "You?"

"I was." Preston answered. "I guess…maybe we're the ones that need to decide when we go any further."

"I guess we are." Sarah replied with a grin, before throwing her arms open. Preston closed in, hugging her tightly.

"From now on, the only people we take our relationship cues from are each other, agreed?" Sarah answered.

"Agreed." Preston told her as they held each other warmly. It was true that perhaps they weren't progressing the same way another couple might, but was that necessarily a bad thing? They weren't any other couple, and that was just fine with them.


	28. Ask The Right Questions

At the Wind Ninja Academy, Brody was wandering around, getting a feel for the campus. He knew he should really be getting some rest for the drive back to Blue Bay Harbour the following day, but since they had come in Levi's truck, he knew that Levi would be doing most of the driving home and knowing that this at once time had been his home but that he didn't have much in the way of meaningful memories of it, he wanted to explore as much as possible while he was here.

It felt strange to think how much this place felt like a home to him. While he had only been two years old when he left, and he was only eight years old when Ripcon had kidnapped him from the farm, meaning that if anything the only real home he had, the only place he had that held any real memories for him had been there, it really did feel a lot like he should feel at home here. It very quickly became apparent that although Dane had left the Academy, it had never really left him. He recognised a lot of the design features of the Academy in things Dane had made for the farm that he had always held his training and his ways close to his heart. Even how he raised his kids had been framed largely as an extension of his old life.

Brody could never really remember a time when he didn't wear a training uniform or a time when he wasn't learning different combat or evasion techniques. Some of his earliest memories were of his father training him in concealment and misdirection. At first it had been a game, they would play a very competitive form of hide and seek, with some harsh penalties. By the time he was seven he was capable of doing a hundred push-ups. He knew that because that was often the punishment if his father could find either him or Aiden. They were both very fit and strong for their age since it was only really a few months before he was taken that they managed to beat their father at his game.

The Martial Arts lessons were a lot later. Brody was far too young to do some of the more intense work outs and training. His body was still growing and it would have risked very real harm if he was pushed too hard, but he was already getting some of the basic frameworks of his style. It was daily training on the Warrior Dome, together with what Brody now realised was the effects of the Ninja Steel on him opening his mind to techniques, some of which he had never even been taught, that led to the level of his skill now. Even Aiden, who was a few years older, was barely beginning to get a more intensive lesson plan.

He got to a unit and found Shane was here, teaching a couple of kids. It didn't take long for Brody to figure out that they seemed to be Shane's kids. They were both girls, and while he didn't really know, it looked like they were both quite young, probably less than ten years old. Their uniforms didn't bear any trim yet, and so it looked like they weren't officially enrolled in any of the three styles. Shane it seemed just wanted to give them some basics to prepare them for when they could be enrolled.

Brody stood and watched for a moment as they were sparring. For their young age, they were both incredibly skilled. He would have confidently put money on either of Shane's kids against someone twice their age. He smiled as one of them caught the other one out, taking her down and holding her in a tight hold. The one on the floor quickly tapped but didn't look happy.

"Dad! That's not fair! Skyla cheated!" She pouted as her sister did a little victory dance to rub her win in her sister's face.

"I didn't cheat, it's a legal move Kelly!" Skyla teased her, sticking her tongue out and continuing to taunt her sister. Shane stepped in, separating them.

"Kelly, you need to be a little more accepting when you lose. Your big sister didn't do anything that wasn't within the rules." Shane told her, before looking to Skyla. "But you need to learn there's such a thing as being a good winner. Perhaps a hundred push-ups, a hundred sit-ups and a hundred thrusts will serve as a good lesson."

"But daaaaad!"

"And we can make it two hundred if you don't tell me where you learned that! I know I didn't teach you it!" Shane told her. Skyla fell silent for a moment. "Remember, I've known your Aunt Tori long enough to know the Water Style when I see it."

Skyla looked to her dad and just nodded to confirm the detail. Shane didn't seem to mind though, he just smiled.

"Your Aunt Tori needs to stop trying to encourage you to abandon the family style." Shane chuckled.

"But dad, it's so cool! It really suits me! I love the stuff she teaches me!" Skyla protested.

"Oh?" He asked, arching a brow. "And how long exactly have these lessons been going on?" He asked her. Skyla just looked to the ground. Shane just sighed. "Well, I guess it was inevitable one of you was going to find one of the others styles more appealing. But if either of you asks to go to your Uncle Hunter's school I'm disowning you!"

With that, he pulled them in, hugging them both warmly. Brody had a feeling that Skyla's punishment would quickly be forgotten given the scene. He suddenly felt himself looking off as he thought back to something, a memory he wasn't even really sure of, one that was a little fuzzy all things considered.

Back on the farm, Brody was working on some basics, performing some rolls on the mats his dad had set up outside. As he took a little rest, he looked over to where his dad was working with Aiden. They had paused when his dad was calling out something.

"That wasn't something I taught you." Dane told him. "Where did you learn that?"

"I…I…just thought of it!" Aiden told him. "J…just now!"

"Aiden, you know I was at the Academy longer than you were alive." Dane said, giving him a little look. "Do you want to try that again?"

The memory faded. Brody was far too young to remember it clearly. He wasn't even sure if it was one of his real memories or just something that his mind made to fill in blanks in a story that he was hearing. He looked across to where Shane seemed to be finishing up with his daughters. He sat down with them as he discussed what they had practiced that day with them.

"Alright, Skyla, there won't be any punishment." Shane told her. Brody just smiled to hear this. He looked to them and started to sing.

"Together, we are family." He began. "Every day now, we grow stronger every day."

"Together, we are family!" They joined in with him. Brody came into view, rousing their attention.

"Oh, hey, Brody, I didn't notice you there!" Shane stated.

"Hi Shane." He greeted him. "I couldn't help noticing that song you were singing."

"I'll bet you couldn't." Shane said with a smile. "I heard your dad sing it to you and your brother every night. It just kind of stuck with me."

"Right, of course. I should have thought." Brody answered. "You didn't exactly look like a Tom Weston fan. No offence."

"Who?" Shane asked him.

"Tom Weston." Brody told him. "The guy who really wrote the song. I met him and he played it for me from his album."

"Really?" Shane asked. "I…I remember your dad writing it when you were a kid. He spent days after your mom died figuring it out."

"Well, Tom has the album so…I guess maybe dad heard it and borrowed it." Brody commented. Shane started stroking his chin.

"Tom Weston…as in Levi's brother?" He asked.

"Yeah." Brody answered.

"So, how much older than Levi is he?" Shane asked.

"I don't know…maybe a couple of years." Brody answered him with a shrug.

"So, he wrote and performed an album when he was a kid?" Shane asked.

"No, he was an adult." Brody told him. Shane just furrowed his brows.

"Brody…when EXACTLY did he write that song?" Shane asked him.

Back in Summer Cove, Hayley and Calvin looked up from the campfire as Preston and Sarah came back, laughing and holding each other closely. Calvin just looked to them with a knowing little smirk.

"We were beginning to wonder if you were coming back." He stated.

"So, what were you up to?" Hayley asked them. "Did you have fun?"

"We…definitely had a good time." Preston said, causing Sarah to snigger. It was only then that Hayley noticed the large lumps on their foreheads.

"Wait…are you two alright?" She asked.

"Oh, we'll be fine in a few minutes." Sarah assured them. "But it was definitely…educational."

"So…what happened?" Calvin asked.

"We kissed." Preston stated, seeing the grins on his friend's faces. "Well…kind of."

"It was a TOTAL disaster!" Sarah said as they both burst out laughing. "We basically head-butted each other?"

"Wait…what?" Calvin asked.

"Yeah, it was the WORST! No offence!" Preston said, wiping his eyes.

"Yeah, we're just SO not ready for that!" Sarah added. "Oh, are those marshmallows?"

"Um…yeah." Calvin said, offering her the bag. Sarah and Preston got skewers and started threading marshmallows onto them.

"So…are you guys alright?" Hayley asked.

"Oh, yeah, we're great!" Sarah chipped in. "I guess this just kind of shows us we liked things the way they are."

"Yeah, there's no point rushing things if we like things the way they are now right?" Sarah replied, holding a skewer over the fire. Preston pulled a blanket around them both as he levelled his own skewer over the fire. Calvin and Hayley just leaned back a little.

"We have some weird friends." Hayley commented.

"Totally." Calvin answered. "So…did we do a good thing or a bad thing?"

"It's…and ending." Hayley answered. "Let's just leave it at that."

Up on the Warrior Dome, Wrench came into Cosmo's office, dragging Phonepanzee with him. He had taken him to a torture chamber to "warm him up" before he presented him to Cosmo. The flamboyant alien was sitting at his desk, casually smoking a cigar as Wrench shoved him into a chair and held him down.

"So, this is the one?" Cosmo asked.

"This is your fraudster." Wrench told him, clutching his axe.

"I see my associate has shown you some of our hospitality." Cosmo said dryly. "Do you want a cigar? Perhaps some brandy? I only ask because you've taken so much from me already, I figured you might want to just help yourself."

"Cosmo…"

"That's MR ROYALE to you!" Cosmo roared. He got up and started pacing the room. "So, you mimic people's voices, do you?"

"It's…one of my talents." Phonepanzee answered. "I was always a good mimic, even before I got my upgrades!"

"Upgrades? You call that an upgrade?" Wrench asked him. "When the hell was the last time anyone saw a payphone? You know people have cell phones now!"

"I didn't exactly have access to top-of-the-range stuff." Phonepanzee told them with a shrug. "Besides…I kind of like it. It's retro, you know?"

"I'll level with you here. I really don't care about your petty little scams." Cosmo stated honestly. "But the minute you started impersonating me and my senior staff, that affects my reputation. That affects my business, and that his MY PROFITS! When my profits start getting trimmed, my associate here might just start doing some trimming of his own!"

Wrench grabbed one of Phonepanzee's hands and placed it on the table, before raising his axe. Phonepanzee let out a huge shriek.

"NO! Don't, please don't!" He called out in another voice, one they recognised. Cosmo gestured to Wrench to stay his hand.

"That…that sounded just like Princess Viera." Cosmo stated.

"I…guess she's stuck in my mind, I heard her broadcasts only recently." Phonepanzee stated.

"Do that again." Cosmo told him. Phonepanzee took a deep breath.

"I, Princess Viera, Ruler of the Lion Galaxy, do hereby pledge my loyalty and my Kingdom to the magnificent Cosmo Royale!" He said in a pitch-perfect rendition of Princess Viera's voice. Cosmo looked to Wrench and gestured to him to back off a little.

"So, who can you copy?" Cosmo asked him.

"I can mimic anyone I hear talking." Phonepanzee informed him. "If I hear a word or two I can do a basic job, but if I hear enough, maybe a minute or so of them talking, then I can mimic someone close enough to fool pretty much any voice scanner."

Cosmo smiled at him.

"My boy, I have a job for you to do." Cosmo told him.

"A job?" Both Phonepanzee and Wrench chorused in confusion.

"Think of it as a way to repay me for all the defamation of character." Cosmo told him. "Of course, if you would prefer, I can let Wrench take you to his lab. I've heard he likes taking apart 'retro' devices."

Phonepanzee looked to Wrench and gulped, before looking back to Cosmo.

"What do you want me to do?" He asked.

Back at the Academy, Levi was lying on his bed, trying to get some sleep when Brody came barging in. Levi was ripped from his bed as he was startled by the door flying open.

"Brody, what the hell?" Levi asked him.

"Levi, when did your brother release his album?" Brody asked him.

"What?" He asked.

"When did your brother release his album?" Brody repeated. Levi just looked at him curiously.

"I don't know…I was about 13 when they found me on the streets, I was with them about three years before then…about 2012, maybe 2013?"

"Levi, you know how I told you your brother said I stole one of his songs for the talent show?" Brody asked.

"I thought you said you were over that." Levi said, yawning.

"Levi, he released that album in 2012 or 2013…I was kidnapped in 2008!" Brody reminded him. "Your brother never released that album until four years AFTER I heard that song!"

"What song?" Levi asked. Brody started scrambling around for something, eventually finding Levi's phone. He handed it to him.

"Where's Tom's music?" Brody asked. Levi just scrolled through to Tom's album. Brody looked through the songs, finding the one he was looking for and played it.

"I'm with you,  
When you're far from home,  
I'm still with you,  
A family bond that can't break!"

Brody heard the song in Tom's voice, just as he had in Principal Hastings' office. He looked to Levi though who suddenly had a vacant look on his face. He held his hand over his eyes as it played.

"I choose a star,  
Its light leads me home,  
To be with you,  
A family bond that can't break!"

"Levi…"

"It's…it's not Tom's song." Levi whispered, getting flashes of another singing it. "I…I taught him that song."

"You taught him?" Brody asked.

"Together we are family,  
Every day now, we grow stronger,  
In our hearts now and forever," Levi sang as he found an image of a man, one whose presence he had felt before came into his memories.

"I can count on you," Brody sang.

"You can count on me," Levi repeated as the man in his memories started to come into sharper focus, and his face for the first time was as clear as day. He looked straight at Brody and felt tears starting to run down his face. The man in his memories, was Dane Romero. The other kid was Brody! That could only mean one thing.

"For we will always, always be,  
Family." They chorused together. Levi got up off the bed, standing before Brody, reaching out for his face. He stroked it gently, before he could no longer contain himself. He rushed in, hugging him tightly. Brody began to feel his own tears starting.

"I taught him that song! That was our dad's song!" Levi told him. "I…I remember…I remember everything!"

"Aiden?" Brody sniffed as he parted from him, staring into the face of his brother, only realising the truth for the first time. "Aiden? Is that really you?"

"It's me!" Levi replied, hugging him again. "It's me Brody!"

Just then, Cam burst into the room, carrying a folder with him.

"Guys, sorry to interrupt, but I ran a DNA test on the water glasses you drank from and you will not believe what…!" He started to say, before noticing the scene before him. "…Or…maybe you will. Boy, I feel redundant. Um…I'm just going to leave this here for you!"

With that, he tossed the folder onto the floor and quietly slipped out of the room, leaving Brody and Levi to reunite at last.


	29. Experts In Their Own Fields

In the Thompson House, Ellie was watching television, trying to relax before getting back to her job search in the morning. She loved the fact that Al had found a new vocation, a new passion in his work, but despite everything, they were all realistic enough to see that having at least one of them with a steady, guaranteed income was going to be a good idea. The fact was that any start-up was always a high-risk prospect, and even though Al was enthusiastic about it all, the fact was that even before they considered the fact most of his clients were probably going to be paying really low rates just by virtue of the fact he was marketing primarily to people who normally wouldn't be able to afford a financial advisor, it was still going to be a while before he built up a significant client base and word of mouth spread. In short, having one of them that could bring home a guaranteed check for the foreseeable future did seem like a good idea.

"Al, are you nearly done in there?" She called through. Another issue with his new start-up was the fact that in the set-up phase especially, he was going to be doing pretty much everything himself and he was not exactly going to be working 9-5. Although he had for the most part set up an office in one of the rooms, he was still taking clients pretty much anywhere and any time they could spare the time to contact him and dealing with a lot of people at once. While most of his cases were going to be resolved in a few minutes to a few hours, just one of his marketing points, it did mean his working hours were going to be more than a little all over the place.

"Just a second sweetheart." He replied as he looked through some papers.

"You said that two hours ago!" She protested. "You know I don't want to watch this DVD by myself!"

"I just need to finish this." Al told her. Ellie just rolled her eyes and put down her popcorn, heading through to the office, where Al was working in his 'system'. There were sheets of paper all around, resting on any available desk space, the floor, on top of the computer and monitors, pretty much anywhere there was a solid surface. It was virtually incomprehensible to anyone other than Al, or Ellie who had seen it a lot over their years together, but it did seem to work for him. Ellie picked up one of the sheets.

"Ellie, I have a system…"

"I know your system Al, I've dealt with it before." She told him. "And if we're going to actually see Justice League sometime this year, then helping you seems like the best way to accomplish that. Is this about those labourers from before?"

"Yeah, it is…I've never seen anything like this." Al told her as she looked through things. "These contracts are so full of loopholes and double-speak…it's no longer even dodgy it's like bad comedy!"

"Oh?" She asked.

"All of those guys are listed as freelance, right?" He asked her. She nodded. "They're all termed as independent contractors."

"Yeah, a lot of companies do that so they don't have to pay for employee's benefits." Ellie said, remembering one of the many times Al had talked about his work. While employees of a company had to be given certain privileges in their employment contracts, a company was technically allowed to hire as many independent contractors as they wanted, and it was between them and their employers, who more often than not was technically them since they were 'independent' whether or not they got those benefits.

"Well if these guys had read these contracts a little they'd have seen they're a complete joke!" Al told her. "They have an exclusivity clause that prevents them working for anyone else, they have a uniform code, they enforce the time and place of their work…they violate pretty much every rule in the book, even some even I had almost forgotten about! These guys aren't just employees in all but name, they're only marginally better off than slave labour!"

"That sounds pretty slimy alright." Ellie agreed.

"Slimy doesn't even begin to cover it. I've already recommend they get themselves an attorney and file a lawsuit." Al told her.

"You recommended they sue their boss?" Ellie asked him. "Isn't that kind of costly?"

"Not with the case they have, it's a slam dunk! In fact, if I was advising their boss, I'd recommend he take cab fare to the court because they'd be driving his car home." Al chuckled. "I can't believe I've only been at this a couple of weeks and I'm already doing something like this! I wish I could see this privileged prick's face when that summons hits his desk!"

"Um…I don't think that's going to be a problem!" Ellie answered. "I think you might have missed something that would have made you re-think this."

"Ellie, this guy's going to get what's coming to him. What would make me think twice about that?" Al asked her.

"You didn't check out who their contract is with did you?" Ellie asked him.

"What difference would that make?" Al asked. She just highlighted the section of the document she was looking at and handed it to Al. "Oh shit."

Over in Blue Bay Harbour, Early the next morning, Levi and Brody had been invited to Ninja-Comms before they headed out. They had spent a long time talking the night before, but since the team in Blue Bay had been instrumental in their discovery, they felt that before they went it was only fair to de-brief them. Cam had already run a DNA test on the drinking glasses they had used and was on his way to tell them when he realised they had figured it out for themselves. Over the rest of the night though, they had pieced together what little Levi knew of his final days as Aiden Romero.

"So, after I hid the Ninja Steel in the trophy in the school trophy case, I got on the first train I could out of the city." Levi told them. "I went to Blue Bay, trying to find the Academy, but I couldn't remember where it was. I couldn't find it! No matter how hard I looked I couldn't find it, but in the end, I started to run into the authorities. More and more people kept reporting a runaway looking for people that no one knew and I had to leave town."

"That sounds really likely." Cam conceded. "Whenever we hear about people asking too many questions about the Academy we use our contacts to try and discourage them looking too hard. Tourists have been a bit thin on the ground in the last few years but after 2003, there were a heck of a lot of people who just came to the city trying to find the Rangers."

"So, that's when you went to Texas?" Tori asked him. Levi just nodded.

"It was as far from Blue Bay as I could afford to go with the money I had." Levi admitted.

"So, when did you start going by Levi?" Dustin asked him. Levi just laughed.

"That's a funny story actually. I was busking to try and get some money together to eat when Tom and his dad found me." Levi told them. "When they asked me who I was I knew I couldn't tell them. Anything that connected them to Summer Cove would only put them in danger. I couldn't do that to them when they were offering to help me, so I tried to think of a name I could tell them. I looked around for inspiration and realised I was standing outside a Levi Strauss store. So, I told them my name was Levi."

"You named yourself after the denims?" Shane asked him. Levi just nodded in response.

"Then the General started letting other people hear my music, before long everyone knew who Levi Weston was." Levi told them. "I was hiding in plain sight."

"The very essence of ninjutsu." Cam said proudly. "It sounds like you could have taught your dad, maybe even my dad a thing or two."

"Things were all fine until I was out in the country to work on my new album. Then Odious showed up." Levi told them. "I think when she took my memories into that android she programmed to infiltrate the Rangers she never tried to put new memories into me. I think that she never intended for me to survive, so instead my head was just full of gaps and holes, which is why my memory was so messed up. I kept making mistakes I didn't even know were mistakes."

"So, you remember everything?" Dustin asked him. Levi just shook his head.

"I remember most of it, but a lot of things still don't make sense, some things are just off." Levi explained. "Some stuff I can make sense of, like when I told the guys I don't like board games, that was probably because dad…my birth dad…banned me and Brody from playing board games because I was too competitive."

"The straw that broke the camel's back was when Levi 'evicted' me from our bedroom because he beat me at monopoly." Brody chuckled. "He threw out all our board games after that and banned us from playing them again!"

"But there are other things I still don't get, like…why I keep remembering Mariko…or why I know Water Style techniques." Levi told them.

"Well, I can't say what Mariko means to you per se, but I can confirm one thing." Cam said, pulling out a folder and handing it to Levi. "That right there is a transfer request. It seems Mariko was teaching you some Water Style techniques and thought you had a flair for it. She was trying to convince your dad to have you transferred to her classes."

"I'm glad you could answer that, but…there's still a lot going on up there I don't understand." Levi told them. "I'm not even sure I'll ever be able to make sense of some of it."

"So, what do you want to do now?" Shane asked. "I mean, how do you explain to everyone that Brody was kidnapped by aliens and you went into hiding and changed your name?"

"We're going to tell the guys for sure." Brody said, looking to Levi and putting a hand on his shoulder. "But as for the rest of it…we figured it's probably best we don't bring it up and just keep calling him Levi."

"So, you just want to pretend this never happened?" Dustin asked him. "That sounds like the Arman Tamzarian thing in The Simpsons."

"Well, yeah, but the way we look at it, a lot of people know Levi and rely on him." Levi told them. "Besides, I guess technically I have been Levi longer than I've been Aiden. I guess I just have to find a way to be Levi but also be Aiden in private."

He looked to his younger brother and smiled.

"Besides, we're back together again and that's the main thing." Levi told them. "What does it matter what I call myself?"

"Well, just in case you encounter any problems, you can have a copy of everything we have here." Cam told him, giving them a large bag. "Hard copies, flash drives, everything we know about the Romero family. It should help answer as many questions as we can."

"Of course, you're welcome to stay as long as you want." Shane said, extending the invite. "I mean, technically this is a home for you guys. I know my wife and my kids won't mind being in the guest block for a little while…"

"Thanks, but you can have your own quarters back." Levi told them. "We really do have commitments in Summer Cove."

"Well…maybe we can pop out for a visit in a little while?" Tori suggested. "Maybe we can teach the newbies a thing or two."

"We'd like that." Brody told her.

"But before you go, there's one last thing I think we should give you." Cam said with a little smile. He pulled out an old photograph in a frame. "You can keep the frame, our gift from us to you."

Brody and Levi looked at it. It was an old picture that showed Sensei Watanabe, Mariko, two other Sensei, along with Dane and his two sons.

"That was taken shortly before Dane left the Academy." Cam told them. "We thought that you would like to have it."

"This is really great." Levi answered. "Thank you for this."

"Anyway, we really should be going." Brody said, picking up his bag. "Come on Aiden, we have a LOT to explain to the guys when we get home."

"And just for that, I'm playing Tom's album on loop on the way home!" Levi teased him. As they left, Dustin and Tori came to Cam's side.

"So, what do you think it is about being a ninja that seems to make it impossible to have a normal family life?" He asked. Cam just shrugged.

"I don't know." He answered. "I'm just glad I don't have to change my dad's bedding anymore."

Meanwhile, back in Summer Cove, the rest of the team had headed home from their camping trip. They had enjoyed their night out of the city, but they still had some preparations to do before going back to school on the Monday.

Calvin and Hayley had dropped off Sarah and Preston before heading to his place.

"Hi mom, we're back!" Calvin called through to the garage.

"Just dump your things by the washing machine." She told him. "I'll put on a load later!"

"What?" Calvin asked as he saw Hayley smirking.

"I just find it adorable that your mom still does your laundry for you." She commented.

"What can I say? I'm not complaining." Calvin answered with a shrug, taking out some things and throwing them into the kitchen, not even aiming for the machine.

"Well, I hope you don't think if we end up with our own place that I'm going to do all your laundry." Hayley teased him as they headed up the stairs. Calvin's parents were very modern and very trusting of their kids. Hayley's parents were the same way. They had already had 'the talk' with them when they started to get serious and in general were pretty accepting of the fact their kids were responsible. They only asked that they were responsible. That level of leeway did afford them a fair amount of privacy that was appreciated and certainly came in useful when it came to discussing Ranger business or checking out their gear and so they didn't like to push their luck either. Getting to Calvin's room, they closed the door behind them, giving them privacy. Calvin tossed his camping gear into the corner.

"That's some organisational system you have there." Hayley said as he flopped down onto the bed.

"I'll put it away properly later." Calvin stated. "That trip was a lot less restful than I was anticipating, and I just want to lie here for a while."

Hayley sighed and started to unpack his camping gear, looking to put it away.

"I thought you weren't going to be looking after me?" He taunted her. She just sighed.

"You know, it wouldn't kill you to be a LITTLE more reliable." She said as she started to put things away.

"Come on, you just want to keep busy because you don't want to think about how horrible your match making went."

"MY match making?" She said, arching her eyebrows as she stared at him. "Hey, you were pushing them every bit as much as I was!"

"I still can't believe how that all went down. I mean, how the hell do you poke someone's eye with your nose?" Calvin asked her.

"If anyone could find a way it would be Sarah." She remarked, sounding a little saddened over things. "I was really pulling for them you know? Having another coupe on the team?"

"I know, I was too. This thing is pretty good for both of them." Calvin said to her. "I'm just glad that they're still so cool with everything."

"They're definitely different alright." Hayley commented. "I just can't believe we were so wrong about everything. They both seemed like they were really into each other."

"Well, they still seem to be." Calvin said with a shrug. "Maybe all their hugging and high-fiving is just their thing?"

"Sarah didn't say anything, but I got the feeling she was a little mad at me for trying to push things." Hayley said to him. "I'm glad she's still talking to me."

"Hey, they're both cool, they know we were only trying to help, even if we kind of just messed things up." Calvin said with a shrug. "Preston's still cool with me, but I think it'll be a while before he's asking me for any relationship advice."

"I just can't believe we got thing so badly wrong." Hayley answered. "I mean, she took my word for it that I knew what I was talking about. I thought I knew what I was talking about. Some experts we turned out to be."

"Well, maybe we're only experts on OUR relationship?" Calvin suggested. Hayley just smiled.

"I think I can live with that." She answered, leaning in and kissing him gently. Calvin wrapped his arms around her and pulled her onto the bed as they started to make out. Neither of the noticed that as she went, she knocked Calvin's alarm clock off the cabinet and onto the floor, where the digital display went dark, before coming back on and blinking 12:00.


	30. Political Ambition

Monday morning came around, and Hayley was gathering things ready for school. While she was always diligent with her homework and was always organised in ensuring that she had all the books she would need for the day, the way the Living Room table was piled up made it look more like she was planning to run a Fortune 500 company than go to High School.

This was a day that Hayley had been waiting for all year. Today was the day they were going to begin the campaign for Student Class President. Hayley hadn't always had a keen interest in politics, but she had always been something of an activist that was always looking to make the world a better place. For a while, she had always wondered why her dad would scream at the people that showed up on the news that interrupted her cartoons as a kid or why he would always talk about people in Washington messing everything up but over time, she started to understand more and more.

While politics itself was not what made the world work, it certainly did influence how things were done. When she wondered why people didn't get punished for dumping toxic chemicals in the ocean, she figured out that what that man in the suit said on television about waste management legislation was what made it legal. Whenever she thought it seemed unfair that people would work in jobs that didn't pay enough to let them pay for their rent, she only had to think to another man in a suit that argued raising minimum wage would only make it difficult for companies to hire people and lead to people losing their jobs. While she was always more interested in the people who came up with actual facts and figures about how bad policies were causing suffering or environmental harm, ultimately the people that had the most direct effect on things were the people in the suits in Washington that her dad would always call various colourful names. That was when she decided that if she wanted to affect the changes she always wanted to see in the world, her best route was to become one of those people in a suit!

She was under no false impressions that becoming student body president wasn't going to change the world. Hell, it probably wouldn't even change the school in any really meaningful way for her or her friends. In all likelihood by the time any policy she even suggested had gone through all the processes of student council, PTA and the education board and came into effect she and her friends would probably have already graduated or not far off it. She didn't even think the current student body president, Victor had even done a particularly bad job. That was to say things didn't end up any WORSE as a result of him being there. Her real interest was in how it would affect her college applications and her CV for the future. She was looking for the long game, and how she would wet her beak into the world that she intended to make a career from.

"Now this IS a lot of homework!" Her dad commented as he came downstairs in his uniform. Her dad was a Marine Biologist and worked at the nearby research station. It was just one of the things that got her interested in politics, when he would tell her all about how the reckless practices of businesses affected the ocean that he loved so much. "When did you get a chance to do all this and your camping trip?"

"This is homework of sorts, this is my campaign strategy." She told him.

"Campaign strategy?" He asked. "What are you planning to do, invade Russia?"

"It's not that kind of campaign dad and you know it!" She laughed, beginning to file them all into a box file. "This is everything I want to put into my manifesto."

"Wow…um…I know I'm not the most politically minded person honey, but do you really think any kid is going to read all that?" He asked her. "You have to keep your message short and to the point."

"I know that dad, all this is just the notes for me." Hayley told him. "I need to be prepared for anything that's coming up. I need answers for any questions, the facts and figures of how every policy is affecting the school and projections on how…"

"If every politician was this prepared, I think the world would be a much better place." Mr Foster told her. "You remember your mother is coming over after school, right?"

"Of course, I do dad." Hayley replied with a nod. "I'll remember to pick up the pie Trevor likes."

Hayley's parents had divorced almost four years ago. While it had been difficult at first, there were a lot of rough times and it was clear that the relationship between her mom and her dad simply wasn't working and only made both of them unhappy. While her dad was still single, her mom had re-married. Her new husband Trevor was a police officer, but more importantly he was a good man that made her mother happy. Even Hayley's dad had to admit that he liked the guy. It had been a little awkward at first but now they had all come to accept the situation and now got along very well. So much so that regardless of which of her parents' house Hayley was staying at, it wasn't unknown for the other to drop in. Mr Foster kissed her on the cheek.

"I'll see you tonight Margaret." He said. Hayley rolled her eyes.

"She may have been Prime Minister of the UK, but believe me, Margaret Thatcher is NOT exactly the kind of role model I want." She answered, packing up her bag.

"So, can I give you a ride to the school?" He asked her.

"No thanks." She told him. "Calvin said he'll pick me up."

"I might have guessed." He replied. "Don't forget the pie!"

"I'll even remember the ice-cream!" She assured him as she turned on the news as her dad left for work.

Over in the Maxwell house, Calvin was ripped from his bed as he heard a loud pounding on the door.

"Calvin? Are you moving yet?" Mrs Maxwell called in. "Calvin Maxwell! You better move your butt or I'm getting the hose!"

Calvin groaned as he started to stir.

"Mom, it's fine, I've got tons of time." Calvin yawned. "My alarm hasn't even gone off yet!"

"Calvin, it's quarter past eight!" His mom yelled at him. Calvin furrowed his brows, before looking to his watch, which seemed to say the same thing. He scrambled to throw off his covers and looked around for his alarm clock, finding it on the floor and blinking at him.

"No, no, no…" He started to repeat as he checked his phone which also showed the same time. It also showed about three missed phone calls and twelve unread text messages from Hayley, who he had promised a ride to school! "No, no, no, NO! Hayley's going to kill me! Mom, can you…?"

"There's a bowl of fruit by the door!" She called through. "Move your ass if you don't want a tardy slip!"

Calvin performed his morning routine at light-speed, diving into the shower which was one hell of a wake-up call since he didn't have time to let it heat up. He barely patted himself dry as he threw on the first clothes that came to hand, hoping that in the heat they would dry off quickly enough that he didn't need to worry too much about them being damp. Grabbing his bag, he ran down the stairs so quickly he almost went head-over-heels straight down them and bolted out the front door, getting into Nitro and reversing at speed out of the driveway. By quarter to, he was driving with one hand while he forced a banana down for breakfast with the other.

Hayley had waited as long as she could for Calvin, but by the time it hit twenty past, it was at the threshold at which she had to make the choice to continue to wait or start walking. If she waited any longer then she would never be able to walk to the school before the morning bell. In the end, she had made the decision to start walking when Calvin didn't answer any of her calls or text messages.

Her bag was a lot heavier than normal thanks to all her campaign materials and was digging into her shoulders. Every step she took she cursed Calvin and imagined all the kinds of pain she could inflict on him when she next got to train with him. She knew that occasionally Calvin could be a little laid-back and a little bit of a flake. One of the things she loved about him was that he was able to relax when she was a little uptight. The way he could get her to unwind and enjoy things a little was just one of his best qualities. Of course, it was also frustrating at times, like now. She had only asked one thing of him, to pick her up for school today, and yet somehow, he had managed to miss that one thing.

She could see the school as she rounded the last corner and started to imagine being able to get in and get a seat. She could imagine a large, plump couch, with velvet cushions, stuffed with fibre to feel like a cloud…of course right now she would even take one of the rock-hard torture devices most of the classrooms called chairs. She heard an engine tone that sounded familiar and turned to see Calvin gunning it towards her. She rolled her eyes and returned to walking along the path. It was just like him. He was there, but of course he arrived just after the point where it would have been useful. She continued her trudge towards the school as he pulled up towards her, trying her best to ignore him.

"Hayley! Hayls! Wait up!" He called out, honking his horn as he pulled up next to her. He knew he was in trouble without even seeing the expression on her face. The fact she was still walking away from him let him know what he needed to. If he was going to get out of this one he needed to pour on the charm. "Good morning beautiful!"

"You're late!" Hayley reprimanded him. She was keeping her words to a minimum. She was still mad at him and wanted him to squirm. She knew he was going to try and do his cute puppy act to try and wriggle out of things.

"I'm sorry, I overslept. My alarm never went off. I must have knocked it over in my sleep or something." Calvin said as he tried to explain why he was late. "Come on, get in. I'll give you a ride to school."

"Cal, we're already AT school." She replied, pointing directly across the road. Calvin just cringed noticing that. He had gone to the house in the vain hopes that Hayley would still be waiting for him, but when he got no answer at the door, he assumed she had started walking. Thanks to a few bad turns at the lights and some traffic, he had gotten all the way to school before he ran into her.

"Right."

"Can't you be more reliable?" She asked him in a tone that was equal parts exhaustion and exasperation. Calvin just leant in the doorway giving her the puppy-eyes of his life!

"But you always said you love me just as I am." He answered. Hayley just sighed and made her way around the other side of the car.

"Fine, I'll get in." She replied. "But you're still making this up to me! You're buying the pie and the ice-cream for when Mom and Trevor come over!"

"It's a deal." Calvin said as she got in and drove the short distance from the road into the school parking lot.

Meanwhile, in the school, Preston and Sarah were at their lockers, just getting some books when they noticed Mick was standing by the desk. He was talking to the receptionist there about something.

"I put in this budget request three weeks ago." He told her.

"I'm sorry Mr Kanik, but there's nothing here about your new equipment." She told him. "Public school budgets are really stretched unless you haven't noticed."

"I asked for a replacement welding mask. It's the kind of thing that needs to be seen to pretty much right away." Mick told her. "It's not so much someone could lose an eyebrow as someone could quite literally lose an eye!"

"I understand Mr Kanik, but other departments have also got cut backs…"

"I think that suitable safety equipment for our students is a little more important than a new pack of coffee filters, don't you?" Principal Hastings said as she arrived. The receptionist just looked a little stunned but smiled.

"Principal Hastings! You're back! It's great…!"

"Yes, we can do the pleasantries when you give me your morning report in my office. In the meantime, could you give Mr Kanik a petty cash slip to sign? I'll assume you don't mind running to the hardware store for what you need?"

"No, not at all!" Mick answered.

"Good." She replied, taking the slip from the receptionist and signing it. "Just sign here Mr Kanik and remember to bring a receipt together with your change. Go and get the cash tin, will you?"

The receptionist went to get the cash while Mick looked to her. He smiled.

"It's great to see you back where you belong." He told her. "Thanks for this, that mask is completely unfit for purpose."

"Yes, it does feel good to be back." She told him, grabbing his butt. Mick's eyes grew wide as she did this. "Perhaps later we can talk about a way you can pay me back."

"I'm sure I'll think of something." Mick replied as she left. He took the cash from the receptionist when she returned, before heading out the door to go to the hardware store. He had somewhat of a skip in his step as he passed Sarah and Preston on their way in.

"Wow, someone's in a good mood!" Preston commented.

"And what reason would there be to be in a bad mood?" Mick asked. "Now, I have to go talk to a man about welding masks. See you later!"

They both shrugged as they watched him go, before getting to the desk, where Levi and Brody were waiting on them. They smiled as they saw them.

"Well, it seems the explorers returned! You guys really missed yourselves this weekend." Preston said to them as he put his arm around Sarah. Brody and Levi just gave each other a knowing look.

"Oh, we had a pretty good weekend too." Brody assured them. "I'm pretty sure our weekend was probably more exciting than yours."

"Wait, does that mean what I think it means?" Sarah asked. "Did you really find the Wind Ninja Academy?"

"We found it alright." Levi told them. "But we'll tell you all about it when the others get here."

"Speaking of which, here they come now!" Preston announced as Hayley and Calvin walked in, hand in hand.

"Morning guys." Brody said with a little smirk. "Someone's running a little late this morning."

"I'd say someone overslept!" Preston said, messing with Calvin's hair. The Yellow Ranger just winced hearing this.

"Don't talk about it!" He begged him. "She is so mad right now!" However, looking at Hayley, no one would be able to tell she was angry. She took a look at the banner strung up across the school corridor.

"Student body elections?" She read aloud, as though it was the first she had heard of it. She was also talking a little louder than she normally would. The other Rangers exchanged a knowing glance, while Sarah visibly face-palmed. It was a show for other students, like it was something that was only just occurring to her, even though they knew that Hayley had been preparing for the election now for a long time. It looked like she was beginning the showmanship side of politics a little early…namely before she even threw her hat into the ring officially! Principal Hastings came back out, carrying a clipboard and a pen.

"Yes, that's right! You would make a good president Hayley, you should consider running!" She said. Hayley smiled.

"Well, I hadn't really thought about it but…alright, I guess it could be interesting." Hayley responded, feigning the surprise of the suggestion. Preston leaned over to Sarah.

"And the Oscar for best performance goes to…" He joked. Sarah had to cover her mouth to stifle a laugh, hoping that Hayley wouldn't notice it. Principal Hastings noticed Calvin looking at the form as Hayley signed it.

"Are you thinking of running Calvin?" She asked him. Hayley gave out something that sounded like a bit of a cross between a splutter and a laugh as she heard this. Calvin and the others all stared at her.

"A President needs to get things done. Calvin's too laid-back." She said, looking to her boyfriend. "Calvin can't even pick me up on time!"

There were a couple of laughs and whoos from the others as they heard this burn. Calvin had kind of earned it, he had messed up on his only real obligation of the day, but hearing the others react to this burn. He turned back to Hayley.

"Too laid back, huh?" He asked.

"Yup." She answered.

"Can't get things done huh?" He asked again.

"Nope." Hayley said with a cocky little smirk. Calvin picked up the pen and signed his name on the register.

"How's THAT for getting something done?" He asked her. "I'll run for President too!"

"You?" Hayley asked.

"Yup." He answered.

"Really?" She answered, crossing her arms as she looked at him. Calvin just gave her a cute smile in response.

"Yup." He replied. Hayley shook his hand.

"Well, you're on boyfriend!" She said.

"Bring it." He challenged her.

"I will." She answered. "You're going down!"

"We'll see!" He said as he went towards his locker to get his first period books. Hayley left to go to her own lockers, while Sarah just looked to the others confused.

"Was it just me or was that like, the weirdest flirting you've ever seen?" She asked.

"Hands up if you think this is a really bad idea." Preston responded. With that, all four of them raised their hands.

They didn't notice a little way off; Victor and Monty were watching the whole thing. Monty just turned to Victor.

"Victor, you're the President now, but you could run again." Monty suggested. "I'm sure you'd beat them."

"Maybe, maybe not." Victor answered. "But why take the chance? If they're both disqualified, then I can definitely stay in power!"

"But why would they be disqualified?" Monty asked him. Victor just smirked.

"You know what they say Monty." He said, putting his arm around him. "Never mix relationships and politics."


	31. The Romero Brothers Secret

The Rangers went to their last lesson before lunch. The school was already talking about the upcoming election. It wasn't as though many of them really knew what a student body president actually did, heck, most of them couldn't name one thing that any previous student body president had ever done other than head up the Prom Committee. To most kids, whoever they elected as Student Body President was essentially a popularity contest, it was a way of expressing who in the student body embodied the qualities they valued and wanted to be seen in themselves.

This had led to a wide variation in candidates who had been successful in the school's time since it had opened. More often than not, it was someone that was considered attractive or that was perceived as embodying success. People who had won trophies, captains of sports teams, sometimes even just people who were voted for largely because they were seen as attractive had all been President. Different times and climates would create different values though. In the 60's, people who spearheaded social changes tended to be chosen. In the nineties, it was people who were seen to be on the cutting edge of technology. Whatever the reason people voted, they voted for what was important to the culture of the day, with policies being secondary at best, and many openly admitting not only not reading the manifestos, but not even being aware that their chosen candidate HAD a manifesto! The trick was to find out what exactly those values were and to appeal to them!

"So, what do you think this surprise is that Brody and Levi have to tell us about?" Sarah asked Preston as they started to head into the class.

"Knowing Brody, it's probably going to mean more work for us." Preston answered. "I bet he's brought a ton of training ideas back from the Academy."

"I still can't believe they actually found it." Sarah commented. "I mean, even Aiden said he couldn't find it and he was actually there."

"You mean the fake Aiden?" Preston asked her.

"I know he was a fake, but some of his story…he has to have gotten it from somewhere, we already know he knew way more than he should. He had to have got those memories from somewhere." Sarah said, thinking about it. Just then, she felt someone grab her arm and give it a tug. She looked around, seeing that Monty was standing behind her. "Monty! Oh…um…how long were you standing there?"

"Can I talk to you about something?" Monty asked her. Sarah just looked to him a little concerned, worried about just how much of the conversation he had heard. She didn't think they had said anything pertinent, but that didn't mean it wouldn't be enough to get him curious.

"Sure, what is it?" She asked him.

"It's kind of personal." He told her. Sarah looked to Preston, and gestured for him to go on without her, before she followed Monty as he took her over to a quieter corner. She could see the way he was looking around and could tell whatever he wanted to talk to her about was something he really didn't want anyone hearing about. If Victor, who at times she suspected existed in a form of symbiosis with Monty, wasn't around, then it had to be something big.

"Alright, what is it?" Sarah asked him.

"I was just…um…I wanted to ask…it's just…" Monty stammered as he tried to bring up the subject. "I…I haven't seen your cousin around today."

"My cousin?" Sarah asked, looking confused. It took her a while to remember the cover story they had come up with for Viera when she was on Earth. They had told everyone that she was Sarah's cousin in order to explain why the team hung around her to try and avoid awkward situations where she didn't understand the local customs. "Oh, right, my cousin, Viera!"

"Yeah, Viera." He said with a dreamy look on his face as he stared off into space. He didn't say anything for several minutes before Sarah had to wave a hand in front of his face.

"Um…Monty, Earth to Monty." Sarah said. "You were saying something about my cousin?"

"Yeah…I was just wondering, is she sick or something?" Monty asked her. "Is she…is she coming back?"

"Wait…you like my cousin?" Sarah asked, smiling a little. She was relieved that he didn't seem to want to ask her about anything she and Preston had been talking about. "Aww, Monty!"

"So, is she coming back?" He asked her. Sarah felt a little badly about this. "I'm sorry Monty, she was only here for a little while, she's gone back to Idaho!"

"She's…she's gone?" Monty asked her. Sarah could feel his disappointment and wished she could give him a different answer, but with a whole galaxy to rule, she somehow doubted that Princess Viera would be coming back to Summer Cove to date a high-school kid.

"I'm afraid so." Sarah told him. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's alright." He muttered sadly. Sarah stroked his shoulders, before heading into the class. Preston was waiting for her.

"What was that about?" Preston asked her.

"He wanted me to get a message to my cousin Viera." Sarah told him. "It seems she made quite an impression on him."

"Monty has a crush on Viera?" Preston said in surprise, shrugging. "I always thought he was more into Victor."

As they headed into the class, Monty sadly got his stuff together, before he paused.

"I thought Viera was from Indiana." He commented to himself.

In another part of the school, Mrs Finch was in the office with Principal Hastings, getting her caught up on the paperwork she had missed. While Hastings had only been out a couple of weeks, and was coming back MUCH earlier than expected, there was still a fair bit for them to get caught up on. The fact was that for all the weeks of Jennifer's captivity when Odious had been posing as her, they couldn't account for how much she was responsible for and so had to go through everything with a fine-toothed comb to ensure it was all above board and to correct anything that wasn't.

"I have to admit that I have a whole new appreciation for what you do around here." Mrs Finch admitted as she passed over the folders. "I used to think sitting in this office was the cushy job, but honestly, I have no idea how you do it all."

"Let's just say I rarely have a forty-hour week." Principal Hastings said with a smile. "There's quite a bit of this that comes home with me at night."

"I remember once meeting some guy at a teaching conference who said he became a science teacher to retire and have a quiet life!" Mrs Finch laughed. "I'm telling you, unless Dr Oliver was really James Bond in his past life, I have to wonder what he was doing if he thought education was an easy option!"

"The wonderful world of the education system, would we have it any other way?" Principal Hastings answered as she heard a knock on the door. They both looked around and saw Mick coming in, carrying some bags.

"Mr Kanik, I trust you're here to return the change and the receipts." Principal Hastings greeted him. He smiled.

"Yes, I am indeed." Mick told her. "I managed to get a good price on some masks…"

"Well, if it prevents any of our national treasures losing an eye then frankly any price is a good price to me." Principal Hastings told him. "Thank you for standing in Mrs Finch, if I need to ask any questions, I'll know where to find you."

As Mrs Finch left, Jennifer brought out the cash tin, taking the money and the receipts from Mick.

"So, how does it really feel to be back?" Mick asked her. "I know you should probably still be…"

"Hey, if you and your team can handle what those monsters can dish out, I think a little discomfort isn't too much to ask." She answered.

"I think what you went through was more than a 'little discomfort'." Mick said regretfully. "And those suits they were are more than just funky spandex. They don't wear those things as a fashion statement."

"Well, no, but they do wear them and if being here means I can make things a little easier for them, then I think that's a price that's worth paying." She told him honestly.

"Well, I didn't just get the welding masks. I also got a little something…kind of a welcome back." He told her. Jennifer smiled as he pulled out a lava lamp.

"Wow, I have not seen one of these in years!" She chuckled. "I had one in college, but one of my room mates broke it with a hackey sack. I never got around to getting another one!"

"I just saw it and thought it was really cool!" Mick said as he plugged it in.

"So, how did Brody and Levi get on in their fact-finding mission?" She asked him.

"I don't know yet. Brody said they had some important stuff to tell us but he wanted to wait until he could get us all together." Mick told her. "We're all meeting in the base at lunchtime."

"I still can't believe I never noticed you commandeering the paint room." She laughed. "So, you're meeting them at lunch time, right?"

"Yes." Mick answered.

"And you don't have a class this period, right?" She asked him.

"Well, no I don't." Mick replied. Jennifer just went to the window to her office, closing the blinds.

"Well then, I guess that means you have a little time to kill doesn't it?" She asked. Mick smiled as he locked the door.

"I suppose it does." He replied.

Lunchtime came and the Rangers started to headed to the base, waiting to hear what Brody and Levi had to tell them. As they headed over, there were more than a few little barbs being thrown around.

"Look, all I'm saying is shop class is an important skill to learn." Calvin said as he came into the room. "People need practical skills if they're going to be working with machinery or in production, so why are the school not funding shop properly?"

"Maybe because people ALSO need other skills, you know like reading, writing, maths, computing…"

"All of those departments already get funding. Look at this class though, I mean…this room for example. This room has been out of use since the start of the year and so far, there's not even been a discussion when it'll get returned to use."

"So, people have to spray-paint outdoors and get some fresh air? Oh, I'm sure that's going to kill them." Hayley replied.

"Not to mention it worked out pretty well for us." Sarah chipped in. "I mean, we do have this sweet base. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a cave or the bottomless pockets of Anton Mercer."

"So, you're on his side?" Hayley asked her.

"Um…who said we're on sides?" Preston asked her.

"So, our friends aren't going to help us with our campaigns?" Calvin asked. Preston and Sarah just looked at each other uneasily.

"Well…"

"You've got to be kidding me!" Hayley complained.

"What kind of friends wouldn't even be campaign managers for their friends?" Calvin asked.

"That's just it, we're friends with both of you!" Sarah reminded them. "How could we possibly choose which one to…"

"We'll flip a coin." Brody said as he and Levi arrived. "It seems like the only fair way."

"Yeah, fair." Hayley commented. "Which one of us gets two of you?"

"I don't follow." Brody answered.

"Well, Levi is a teacher. It's against the rules for him to endorse or detract from any candidate." Hayley informed him. Brody looked to Levi who just shrugged.

"She's right." Levi answered. "It would just raise too many questions and accusations about the education department over-riding the will of the students."

"But it's a school, the education department fundamentally controls everything." Brody stated. "The Student Body President only acts in an advisory role, it isn't really a democracy."

"Whatever, fine. We'll flip a coin, first to find out which one of us will remain neutral and not campaign for either of you, and then we'll decide who campaigns for who. Does that sound fair?" Brody asked. Everyone just nodded in agreement. "Alright, now we just need Mick and we can get started…and here he is!"

"Hi guys, sorry I'm late." Mick said as he arrived. "What did I miss?"

"A philosophical debate about democracy." Hayley told him. "Which somehow got solved by a flip of a coin."

"That sounds like democracy alright." Mick said with a nod. "So, I didn't miss the big news?"

"No, you're just in time." Brody said as he gestured to the team to sit. "You won't believe what we have to tell you!"

Over in the offices of Tien Industries, Marcus was in his penthouse office, looking over some blueprints. He had a few investors with him as he discussed his latest acquisition.

"I'm telling you, creating that public park got me so much good press it's been great for business!" Marcus bragged as his investors enjoyed some of his refreshments. "I barely even had to ask to get planning permission for this complex. They practically threw the permits at me! No one wants to risk being seen to anger the man that saved the Ribbon Tree."

"And just to think, you were the one that was going to cut it down in the first place!" One of his investors laughed. "You just saved it from you!"

"Well, I never did say that city officials were particularly smart." Marcus agreed, taking a sip of his champagne. "Now, I know that you were thinking of putting the golf course looping around the building in this direction, but if we take it just this way instead, it'll get the benefit of a wonderful seafront sunset just before the course closes on the final round of the day."

"That's what I love about you Marcus, you always think of the details." Another said, raising his glass. "Here's to the start of another project that will put another wonderful landmark on the map…"

"…And several billion in our pockets!" Another laughed. Just then, a couple of the security guards entered the room with a man in a suit. Marcus just looked to them angrily.

"I specifically said that I wasn't to be disturbed!" Marcus snapped at his guards.

"I'm sorry, but he had an urgent message…"

"That's what I have a mail department for!" Marcus cut them off.

"I'm sorry sir, but this has to be delivered to you in person." The man in the suit told him as he approached, presenting an envelope to him. "I represent Greetham, Sudarso and Schewfelt. By order of the state of California, you've been officially served."

"Served?" Marcus asked. He wasn't a stranger to being sued, it was a part of business. However, he had legal teams that were normally very good at keeping him from having to actually deal with those cases. He opened the envelope and looked at it. "Employment contract disputes?"

"We'll see you in court Mr Tien." He said as he turned and left, escorted closely by security. Mr Tien read through the papers, detailing a number of complaints from employees regarding their working contracts and conditions. He looked to his investors and knew this couldn't look good to them.

"We'll reconvene to discuss the details further in a more…comfortable setting." Marcus told them. "Speak to my secretary, she'll arrange a restaurant reservation for us."

"Is everything alright Mr Tien?" One of them asked.

"Just…a small matter that needs to be attended to." Marcus answered. "Please, Gentlemen, I don't want to hold you any longer."

As they all finished up their drinks and left, Marcus looked to the lawsuit, before grabbing a snow globe off his desk and throwing it against the wall, smashing it.

"Mrs Eriksson, get my lawyers on the phone now!" He demanded.

Back at the High School, the team listened on, their faces going through the whole gamut from interest, to joy that they had actually met another Ranger team, to shock, right through to confusion as they concluded their story. The room was silent apart from Levi as he finished off.

"So…that's pretty much everything we got up to in Blue Bay." He told them.

"Wow!" Calvin said as he leaned in closer to Hayley. "I was SO far off what the big announcement was."

"So…you're really Aiden?" Sarah asked. Levi just nodded.

"I've got to tell you, it was a pretty big shock to me too." Levi admitted. "But it makes sense. A lot of what that robot Madame Odious built knew, it all fit, but now I realise that was because when she kidnapped me, she took those memories from me."

"She took your memories from you and put them into the robot." Hayley replied.

"But she never put any new ones into me to replace them, which is why so much of my memory was all over the place, and I could only really remember most of what happened after I became Levi." He told them. "I don't think she bothered to give me new memories because she was planning on giving my Power Star to the android, but the Astro Zord freed me before she could do it."

"So, this Cam guy told you that you're Aiden because of a DNA test?" Preston asked them.

"Well, I remembered before then actually." Levi told them. "Brody and Shane helped me with that."

"I saw Shane training his kids, but when they were finished, he started singing a song to them, my dad's song." Brody explained. "I asked how he knew it and he told me that he learned it from Dane."

"I thought the song was Tom's." Mick said, trying to piece together this information.

"No, Tom released the song and copyrighted it, but he released it in 2012." Levi explained.

"But Dane left the Academy in 2002…and he sang it to both of you there." Sarah said, continuing to piece the puzzle together. "But since your dad was destroyed in 2008, the only way that Tom could have heard it was…"

"He learned it from me." Levi said with a smile. "I taught it to him. When Brody played Tom's recording back to me, I remembered teaching him the song, and then all that other stuff started flooding back to me."

"So, you remember everything now?" Preston asked him.

"Well, no not everything." Levi admitted, putting a rather large pile of folders down on the table. "There's still a lot of blanks in my memory, stuff I'm not sure I'll get back, but Tori and Cam gave me as much of this stuff as they could to try and help me kick-start some more memories."

"So that story the android told us about Aiden going back to Blue Bay but not finding the Academy…"

"It seems that was true." Levi interrupted Redbox. "I couldn't find it as a kid, so I just got on a train and went as far from Summer Cove as I could."

"So, what do we do about all of this now?" Calvin asked. "I mean, if we just tell everyone now that you and Brody are brothers and that you're really Aiden…"

"Yeah, it's a whole can of worms alright." Brody interrupted him. "Which is why we've decided that we're just going to keep up with the pretence."

"You mean we're just going to pretend all of this never happened?" Preston asked him.

"Well, to everyone else at least. We all know the truth and that's what counts." Levi said, putting his arm around his baby brother. "Besides, I've made my life as Levi, so in a way…I'm more Levi than I am Aiden anyway."

"OK, you guys win, you so had a much more interesting weekend than we did!" Sarah conceded. "No offence!"

"So, what DID you think happened anyway?" Brody asked, looking at Calvin.

"I'm sorry, what?" Calvin asked.

"Before, you said you were way off on what you thought happened." Brody stated. "So, what did you think happened?"

"It…really doesn't matter now." Calvin said, trying to brush it off.

"No, go on, we want to hear." Levi said. Calvin started shuffling a little uneasily.

"Well…um…" He said as he looked to them. "We kind of noticed you two have been a little more tactile since the trip, and…"

"Oh my GOD!" Brody called out as Levi started laughing. "You thought we hooked up?"

"Hey, it's 2018!" Calvin protested.

"Dude, he's my BROTHER!" Levi teased him.

"Well, I know that NOW I didn't know that then!" Calvin protested. Come on guys, I can't have been the only one that thought…"

Just then, the bell rang.

"And on THAT uncomfortable note, it's time to go back to class!" Sarah said, gathering her things and heading for the door.

"Oh, come on, I CAN'T be the only one that thought…come on guys it wasn't like that…" Calvin tried to protest, before realising that he was on a losing battle. He just picked up his bag and shook his head. "Sometimes, you guys really suck, do you know that?"


	32. Campaign Games

Tuesday morning, Levi was heading into the school, carrying a load of bags with him. While the school was very well supplied, and Levi already had all the instruments and sheet music he was ever likely to need in his classroom, he did have another reason to bring in some supplies. While as a teacher he strictly speaking couldn't endorse any of the candidates for the Student Body Election, as long as he didn't treat any one candidate any differently than the others there was no rule saying he couldn't make sure they had the supplies they'd need to get a respectable campaign underway.

He wasn't really overly concerned about the election, but he did think it was a good opportunity to get students to think about the political process and get them engaged in how the world would work once they left High School. He had heard way too many people in his life say that they didn't vote because it 'didn't matter' who they voted for, and to think there were already kids that felt this way too was something of a dim view of the future when for a lot of people one of the few things they could really do to change society was to vote.

He got to the door of the school, finding that the others were already waiting for him. They were laughing and joking, just like always, but as he got closer, he heard some of what they were saying and realised it was connected to the election and was glad that so far it all still seemed to be quite friendly.

"All I'm saying is I'm glad the way that coin toss worked out." Brody chuckled. "I have no problem being Switzerland in all of this. I would sooner face all the guards at the Academy again than a political race."

"You're just glad you aren't going to be on the losing side." Hayley said as Levi got there.

"Hey guys, just the people I was looking for." Levi announced, handing both Calvin and Hayley a bag.

"What's all this?" Calvin asked.

"That is a starter kit for your campaigns!" Levi told him. "Poster boards, badges, buttons, markers…everything you need to get a good start. Everything else…well…I'm looking forward to seeing how creative you get."

"Uh, Levi I don't have any markers!" Hayley told him.

"Here, you can take a pack of mine!" Calvin said in a cocky manner as he handed her a packet of assorted coloured markers. "You can always RELY on me!"

"You gave him markers but not me?" Hayley asked.

"Yeah, sorry I thought I packed all the bags the same." Levi said as he double-checked all the bags. "I put two in Calvin's by mistake."

"So, who's that third one for?" Preston asked him.

"That…that one's for Victor. He was the only other one that signed up for the election." Levi told them. "I wasn't kidding when I said I wasn't allowed to take sides, I have to make sure I give him all the same stuff I gave you!"

"Well I guess it's only fitting that being neutral is a family trait." Brody responded as he sided with Levi. "Watching from the side lines is going to be fun!"

"So, who's with who?" Levi asked.

"We flipped a coin and I am going to be helping Calvin win." Sarah said, taking her place next to Calvin.

"Not unless I help Hayley win first." Preston answered, putting his arm around her. Haley gave her boyfriend a confident smirk.

"Well, may the best man win." He told her.

"Oh, she will." Hayley responded. Just then, they heard a loud crash and all turned in time to see a monster sprawled out on the lawn, next to some bikes that had been knocked over. The creature was a strange, furry creature that looked like it was combined with some kind of device. Something that looked like a phone receiver was a little way from him, attached by a cable. He started to scramble to his feet as the Rangers started to close in. Other students were already panicking and running. Principal Hasting was starting to usher the students inside.

"Hey look!" Levi called out, pointing to the creature as he finally got up from the ground. Phonepanzee realised he had been spotted and started to panic.

"Uh oh…this wasn't in the plan! I'm out of here!" He called out as he ran as fast as he could. The Rangers tried to pursue, but some Basher Bots showed up to block their way.

"I guess this is what they mean by aggressive polling!" Hayley said as she leapt at the first of the Basher Bots, kicking it to the ground.

"The only poll I'm interested in with these guys is the EXIT POLLS!" Calvin answered as he disarmed one of them, using its sword to slice it to pieces.

"I always thought the best approach was bringing two sides TOGETHER!" Levi joked as he grabbed two Basher Bots, smashing their heads together, before throwing them both to the ground.

"Well, that's them dealt with." Brody sighed as the last of the Basher Bots fell. "Unfortunately, the giant gopher is long gone."

"Gopher? I thought it was a beaver." Preston replied. "Combined with a boom box."

"No, it's a monkey crossed with a radio." Sarah chipped in.

"It is a monkey, but not a radio. It's a pay phone." Principal Hastings informed them. The team all stared at her blankly.

"You're kidding right?" She asked. All six of them just continued to blink as they stared at her. "You don't know what

"Pay phone?" Calvin asked her. "What's a pay phone?" a pay phone is? They used to have them all over the place. You put money in them and you could make a call…"

"Yeah, right…of course." Brody said with a smile as they all headed for the door. "Why wouldn't people just use their cell phones?"

"Yeah, because THAT doesn't make me feel old." She muttered as she looked to the wreckage on the front lawn of her school. "Sometimes I hate this generation."

Up on the Warrior Dome ship, Phonepanzee appeared in a flash of light, landing in a heap on the floor by Cosmo's feet. The flamboyant and sinister host of Galaxy Warriors looked to Wrench.

"Shut it down Wrench!" He commanded his Chief Engineer. "How did it go, is everything…?"

"His vitals appear to be fine, it looks like he's been lucky." Wrench answered casually. "I'm not normally one to recommend teleportation when someone's on the run. Moving that quickly makes it hard to get a good lock. He's lucky I didn't end up leaving half of his body parts on Earth."

"Yes, yes, we're all thrilled he didn't dump his internal organs on the grass, but that's not the part of him I need!" Cosmo stated, looking to Phonepanzee. "Did you accomplish your mission? Did you…?"

"I've got all their voices." Phonepanzee told him in Sarah's voice, before switching to Levi's. "They were so busy arguing they didn't notice me standing ten feet away from them. Now I have enough of an imprint to mimic any of their voices and say anything!"

"Excellent!" Cosmo said as he pulled him to his feet and started to dust him off. "Now, you said they were arguing. What exactly were they arguing ABOUT?"

"They were arguing about some election or something." Phonepanzee responded, converting back to his own voice. Cosmo got a wicked grin on his face.

"Politics?" He asked. "That's just PERFECT!"

Back on Earth, Monty was making his way through the halls, carrying a whole bunch of campaign materials.

"Hey Monty, nice one!" He heard some guys from the chess club yell. He gave them a wave as he struggled with his bags.

"Hey Monty, give us a call sometime!" Some girls said to him as he tried to find his way to Victor. He had gained something of a boost in his profile around the school lately. At the end of the previous week, he had stood up to Ace. He had been attempting to get to Viera to ask her out, but Ace had got in his way and started to mock him yet again. Years upon years of pent up frustration and anger at his persecution had come to the surface, anger than he had repressed out of fear it would hurt someone like his previous attempt to get Ace to leave him alone, but on that day he'd finally had enough. He stood up to Ace, getting in his face and challenging him to do what he would, but refusing to leave. Kids he never even knew were now giving him pats on the back and high-fives.

He finally found Victor leaning on some lockers. He looked to Monty and smiled.

"Wow, I thought you'd got lost." He said with a smile. Monty, as per usual, had offered to have Victor's back in his bid to get re-elected. He had been working all weekend to prepare materials for him. "Hey, why the long face?"

"Sarah told me her cousin's gone home." Monty said dejectedly. Victor just looked to him.

"I guess that explains why I haven't seen her around today." Victor said to him. "I'm sorry."

"I guess it's for the best." Monty mumbled. "She probably didn't even know I existed anyway."

"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself. I think a lot more people notice you than you think." Victor said as some girls walked past, looking Monty's way and whispering. "So, what do you have for me anyway?"

"Well, I decided to go low-key this time around. Go for things that DON'T get you noticed." Monty said, showing him some rather basic looking A4 posters with a very simple 'Vote for Victor' message on them.

"Try NOT to be noticed? With these cheekbones?" Victor said with a smile. "I'm kidding, but seriously, trying NOT to be noticed?"

"Yeah, that way neither Hayley nor Calvin will exert any effort in trying to discredit you." Monty explained. "They'll forget you're even running, they'll spend so much time sabotaging each other that when your plan kicks in and the mud slinging starts, everyone else gets splattered and you walk out squeaky clean as the only viable option left!"

"I like the way you think Monty!" He answered.

"Mr Weston gave me some materials this morning, so it's not even like it'll take too long to get this stuff prepared." Monty told him. "So, what are you doing?"

"Just keeping an eye on the competition." Victor said, pointing to where Hayley and Preston were setting something up.

"Vote for Hayley Foster!" She declared, presenting a poster that was easily A2 in size. She and Preston had gotten to work straight away. "My manifesto has a very simple six-point plan in how to ensure this school can maximise its resources and provide the best education to set you up for a competitive work market. Vote for Hayley and foster a brighter future!"

"Foster a brighter future, that's not a bad slogan." Monty commented, he saw Victor glaring at him as people clapped. "What? It is!"

"Well, it looks like Calvin is about to do something to try and upstage her." Victor said as he pointed to Calvin who walked into view.

"Well, yeah, everyone tries to outdo each other." Monty reminded him. "The only question is since they are the OTP of the school, can you really be sure we can get them to escalate?" Monty asked him.

"Well, yes, we could all read plans, but why read plans when you can go to someone who is more about actually fixing things than just planning to do so?" Calvin asked. "Vote for Calvin!"

With that, a massive banner dropped down from the ceiling. Hayley and Preston both looked completely astounded as the banner rolled all the way to the floor, dominating the hallway.

"Wait, what? How the hell did he do…?"

"Look, up there!" Preston called out, pointing to where Sarah was sitting on one of the support beams, having climbed up to secure the banner up there. She just smiled sweetly and waved down to them. Preston and Hayley just forced smiles up at them as they heard the kids applauding the spectacular stunt. Victor smiled and looked to Monty.

"Oh, I don't think we'll have to try too hard to escalate this, they seem to be doing a great job all by themselves." He responded. "Let's just let them stack the gunpowder for now. We can wait for our opportunity to throw the match."

In another part of the city, Marcus Tien was called into a meeting with a conglomerate of his investors. He wasn't much used to being summoned anywhere in Summer Cove. Generally, he was the one that did the summoning. People made their appointments to suit HIS timetable. His latest project though was so ambitious and required so many investors that when they called him to discuss some concerns, he couldn't just ignore them.

He handed his car keys to the valet at the door to a hotel and made his way inside. He was escorted up to one of the board rooms where his investors were waiting.

Six men in all were all involved. Billionaires from the UK, China, Japan, Canada, the USA and Russia were all investing heavily in his latest project. Marcus had touted the fact that he had virtually complete control of the city to his colleagues to convince them that their time and their investment were a virtual lock. The city officials all bent over backwards for the Tiens given the money they had invested in the city, and so there were virtually no barriers that could hold up any development he wanted to make.

Marcus looked around the room and could see that the investors were looking a little concerned. They didn't seem to be as cheerful or upbeat as they had been before. He could only assume that the mention of a lawsuit in his office the previous day had caused them a little bit of concern.

"Gentlemen, I must say that I wasn't expecting us to meet up again quite so soon." He greeted them as he sat down.

"Spare us the pleasantries Marcus, I thought you said you had things here sewn up!" Mr Windsor, the British investor stated as he poured himself some sparkling water.

"I'm not quite sure what you mean." He said with a smile.

"We've heard about the lawsuits Marcus." Mr Ford, the other American investor chipped in.

"Gentlemen, we've all been in business long enough to know that occasionally these trivial little disputes crop up…"

"There are 126 claimants!" Mr Windsor snapped. "It's not just your businesses that are being affected either!"

"Some of my people have gotten it into their heads that they are owed money too!" Mr Ford told him. "Marcus, how is it that within weeks of signing on to an investment you tell us that you have locked down all of a sudden every blue-collar shmuck in all of our companies suddenly becomes an expert on employment contract law?"

"Gentlemen, I swear that I don't know…"

"This all happen when we signed with you!" Mr Windsor snapped. "This was supposed to make us all rich Marcus, but somehow these manual labourers and painters are launching lawsuits that could cost all of us MILLIONS in back-pay and compensation if they go through!"

"I…I honestly don't know what could have happened!" Marcus said to them. "They must have gotten some kind of advice…"

"They're barely above minimum wage nobodies Marcus, how the hell does someone like that afford that kind of advice?" Mr Ford roared. The Japanese investor stood up from the table.

"We all believed in you Marcus, and soon we are all going to be out of pocket as a result." He stated. "I trust you will find the source of this trouble and do something about it before we are forced to."

With that, they all got up and marched out of the room. Marcus hated to be in this position. In his city, he was being dictated to and ordered around. He got up from the table, straightened out his suit, and stormed off, determined to find out who seemed to be trying to sabotage his business.

Elsewhere, Calvin was giving Hayley a ride back to her house. Although they were opponents in the race for Student Body President, they were first and foremost a couple.

"Here you go, you're home." Calvin said as he pulled into her driveway, before reaching into the back and pulling out a grocery bag. "And here's the pie and ice cream just as I promised."

"Thanks Cal." She answered. "I know this whole election thing was kind of an argument got out of hand, but I'm glad we can just have fun with it."

"Same here. I'm having a blast." He chuckled. "You should have seen your face when we dropped that banner."

"I do have to admit that was a pretty impressive stunt." Hayley conceded. "Even if you did technically cheat do to it."

"I'm sorry, cheat?" He asked.

"Yeah, cheat." Hayley replied.

"How exactly did we cheat?" Calvin asked. "I didn't see any rules about banners."

"No, but Sarah did have to climb up to the support beams, that's using skills we all learn in our 'extra-curricular' activities." She reminded him.

"She climbed a rafter, that's not exactly…"

"Oh, come on, you can't tell me you honestly believe she had the skills to do that before she became a…"

Just then, there was a knock on the window. They both looked to see a man in a police uniform standing there. Since they were in Hayley's driveway, there was really no reason for a cop to show any kind of interest in their vehicle. Bending down to look in the window, they confirmed his identity.

"Trevor!" Hayley greeted him, opening the door and getting out to hug him. Trevor was her mom's new husband. He was a kind man, and he treated her mom well. He was about Six-foot in height and had bright red hair. He was an athletic man, regularly taking part in marathons for charity whenever he wasn't pounding the beat on the streets of Summer Cove. He hugged her in return, before parting from her.

"It looks like I got here at just the right time, I thought I was going to be late!" He greeted her, before pointing to the bag. "Is that what I hope it is?"

"Cherry pie, just like you like it!" Hayley confirmed cheerfully. Trevor took it from her and smiled brightly.

"Your mom brought her cupcakes, but you know I always find space for this!" He told her. "So, will you be staying for dinner Calvin?"

"Um…yeah, sure." He replied, looking to Hayley to confirm it was alright. Since her parents had joint custody, she split her time between the two homes, but it wasn't often they were both together. Her mom and her dad both had very different schedules that rarely lined up, just one of the things that had put a lot of pressure on their marriage. "I'll just call my mom to let her know I'll be staying for dinner and I'll be right in."


	33. A Break from the Capaign Trail

Preston was in his room, getting dressed after school. He and Sarah had talked a little bit about the somewhat embarrassing moment they'd had while camping, and while they both now understood a little better where they were and what they were comfortable with in their fledgling relationship, they had also agreed that they really ought to try a little harder to have some more time to themselves and arrange dates a little more regularly. He was just getting dressed as he waited on her to arrive.

He had thought of a few ideas of what he wanted to do with her and had decided on a trip to an arcade that his dad owned. He knew they both loved video games, and he had learned his lesson from their first date that they seemed to prefer and be more comfortable in less formal settings. Sarah wasn't much of a restaurant and fine dining kind of person, hell she wasn't the kind of person that liked sitting in one place for particularly long. His dad had an arcade a few blocks from their apartment building that had some of the retro classics that Preston loved, and he was sure she would too.

He heard a buzzer, and the intercom in his room activated, showing the lobby. The doorman there was in the screen.

"Mr Tien, I have someone here to see you that claims to have an appointment." He said. Since it had come through to the bedroom, Preston could only assume his dad had ignored it. When he came home from school, Preston had seen his dad was in the main room on the telephone and he didn't look or sound at all happy. He pressed the button.

"Hey, it's Preston here, who's there Parker?" He asked.

"Someone named Sarah Thompson says you're expecting her." He responded. Preston just smiled.

"It's fine, send her on up Parker." Preston answered.

Down in the lobby, Parker got off the intercom, looking to where Sarah was still standing, waiting rather impatiently to be allowed up. Although Preston never made it an issue, never really seeing any difference between himself and others, she was always aware that they did come from very different backgrounds. On their first date, she had almost been thrown out of a posh restaurant because they didn't believe her that she was there to see Preston or had a reservation there because she didn't dress the way other people that went there did. Preston had warned her that his apartment building had security, and she had assured him that it would be fine since she had been to tower blocks before, but none of them were like this.

The lobby was separated, the main doors being cut off from the elevators by security glass. The desk acted as the checking in point, and there was an arch, which Sarah assumed was probably a metal detector which acted as the only visible door in. As the doorman looked at her, she could tell that he had his doubts about her too, especially when she told him she was a guest of the Tiens.

"Master Tien has said he will see you now." The doorman told her. "Please step through the gate."

Sarah did as she was told, at which it went off, just as she knew it would. Between her hoverboard, jewellery and change, she did have a reasonable amount of metal on her. She didn't bother to resist and just stood with her arms out as the doorman ran a wand over her, checking manually whenever he got a reading. Satisfying himself that she wasn't carrying anything, he gestured for her to follow him to the elevator.

"I know where the penthouse is." She assured him.

"The elevator is security coded." He informed her. "I need to use my key card."

Sarah just followed him as he went to the elevator. He scanned his card, and then pressed his thumb to a scanner. Once the scans were complete, he pressed the button for the top floor, before stepping out.

The elevator did move very quickly. She expected as much from a complex like this. Most of the units in it would cost more than her house, while the upper floors with the better views and fancier units would probably stretch into the seven-figure range. She didn't even want to guess what the price of the penthouse would be but since Marcus owned the building anyway, she imagined it was a moot point.

The elevator opened out into a short hallway. There only was one door on this floor, so she didn't have to look hard to find the apartment. She pressed the buzzer, waiting for an answer. Mashing the buzzer another couple of times, she was a little startled as Marcus pulled the door open and stared at her.

"I'm here to see Preston." She told him. Marcus didn't say anything, not even a polite greeting, as he returned to the phone call he was on. Sarah had her issues with Mr Tien in the past, but while she knew he could be a little cold and ruthless when it came to his business dealings, she had never known him to be particularly rude. She came into the apartment, watching as Mr Tien went back to pacing, talking to someone on the phone in what she assumed was Japanese. She didn't know much beyond 'Go', 'stop' and the numbers between one and ten since that was where Preston was just coming out of his room.

"Hey, Sarah, I was just coming to get you." Preston told her. "I know security can be a little…"

"Yeah, I was just glad it didn't involve a latex glove." She interrupted him. "What's going on with your dad?"

"I…try not to get too involved in his business." Preston told her. "You know he's in a really bad mood when he starts talking Japanese. I'm just going to get my wallet, I'll be right back!"

Preston left the room, leaving Sarah alone with Marcus once more, but since he didn't seem to be paying much attention to her, she was virtually alone. She took a moment to look around the apartment. It was every bit as fancy as she had imagined. Much like many of Mr Tien's businesses a lot of it was all about appearance. He had a huge TV that looked like it wouldn't be out of place in a small theatre. There was a huge aquarium full of exotic fish, and various exotic curios and trinkets from all around the world.

"You have a lovely home Mr Tien!" She said, trying in vain to make conversation. He looked to her and nodded but didn't actually say anything. Sarah could see a lot of documents on his table, but since it was likely to do with his business, she thought better than to pay too much attention. Preston came back, pulling on a jacket.

"I've got my lucky wallet, and a ton of quarters!" He told her with a smile.

"Great, then I guess this is it!" She replied. "It was nice meeting you again Mr Tien!"

Marcus didn't say anything, more kind of waving her off as he yelled at someone in Japanese.

"Wow, your dad is really not happy about something." She commented, when something caught her attention. "Oh, hey! You have one of my dad's business cards!"

"What was that?" Marcus asked. Sarah picked it up from the table. It was among the papers on the table.

"This, it's one of my dad's business cards." She responded. "Is my dad doing work for some of your guys?"

"It would appear so." Marcus replied, taking the card off her. "Enjoy your night."

"What was that about?" She asked Preston.

"Hey, I have as little to do with the family business as possible!" He responded as they headed out the door. Marcus however couldn't help thinking about what Sarah had said. It hadn't occurred to him before but he did remember the last time he was at the Thompson house Al had said something about a new business. He had been getting his guys looking for firms that might be representing the workers currently suing him but they hadn't found anything. It dawned on him it was likely they just hadn't heard of Al's company yet. They were looking for established firms.

He dialled his phone, waiting on an answer.

"Mr Windsor, I'm glad I caught you. I wanted to update you on that matter." Marcus stated. "Yes, I know who it is. Don't worry, it's a nickel and dime operation, probably just looking to get a bit of attention. Just the new kid on the block trying to make a name for themselves taking on the big dogs. Don't worry about it, I'll have this dealt with by the end of the night."

Over at the Foster house, dinner was a lively affair. They didn't get together as often as they'd like, so when they did they definitely made an event of things. The spread on the table looked more like something that would be appropriate for Thanksgiving or Christmas. There was a full roast turkey, a couple of different salads, side dishes, roasted vegetables, roast potatoes, gravy and a few different sauces. There was a cherry pie, something that they always got because of Trevor's fondness for the dessert, and a huge tray of cupcakes a little way off.

Mr Foster's house was always a welcoming place for Calvin. He was well-liked by the Fosters, they had been more surprised that he and Hayley needed to tell them they were going out than they were by them going out. Since they had been friends since they were both in grade school and always hung around together, for a long time almost exclusively, that Hayley's parents had assumed they were a couple almost a year before they actually went on their first date.

Trevor was in the middle of one of his stories, something that they always enjoyed. Hayley's parents had always intended to make things as easy and as friendly as possible when they took the decision to end their marriage. They had never really stopped liking each other, it just became more and more clear that the relationship wasn't working and that they were making each other unhappy in a way that was bound to rub off on Hayley. Although Mr Foster hadn't yet found someone else, they had promised to make an effort when inevitably they found other partners. The fact that Trevor was a decent guy and was great with Hayley admittedly made that whole process a lot easier.

"So, the guy says 'I have my licence around here somewhere.' And I just said 'it's alright sir, in this occasion I'll let you off with a warning, but please go home and get dressed!'." He concluded his story. Calvin almost spit his drink over the table as he finished.

"He was naked, like…properly naked?" Calvin asked him. "And he was just driving around?"

"He was as naked as the day he was born!" Trevor concluded. "Needless to say, I didn't want to find out where he was keeping his licence!"

"So, how are things going at school?" Mrs Foster asked. "I hear its election season."

"Yeah, it's off to a good start." Hayley said. "I'm pretty confident in my manifesto. I've already got some support. I've gotten quite a lot of inquiries about some of my positions already."

"It's definitely been fun so far." Calvin agreed. "Kids I've never met before are e-mailing me. They're really keen on finding out what I'm about."

"What…you're about?" Mr Foster asked. "I thought Hayley was running."

"I am." Hayley answered.

"We both are." Calvin said with a smile.

"They let couples run?" Mrs Foster asked.

"No." They chorused together.

"So, you're running…against each other?" Trevor asked. They both just nodded. "Well, that's…um…good I suppose."

"We've heard everyone telling us that politics and relationships don't mix, but we've always been able to disagree." Calvin assured them.

"Yeah, we'll be fine." Hayley added. Mrs Foster just picked up some plates.

"So…who's up for dessert?" She asked.

"I'll help with that." Calvin offered, grabbing some other dishes and lifting them away. Hayley looked between her dad and Trevor.

"It'll be fine." Hayley said again. Mr Foster just looked to Trevor.

"So, he was seriously naked?" He asked.

Over at the Thompson house, Al was just finishing up his work for the night. He was doing a few tax returns for some of his clients when he heard a knock on the door.

"Ellie, would you get that?" He asked. As a second knock came, he sighed as he remembered that Ellie had gone out for the night. He saved what he was working on and got up from his desk, heading to the door. He opened the door, finding Marcus standing outside.

"Marcus?" He asked, looking around. "I'm sorry, Preston isn't here, I think Sarah said they were going somewhere…"

"Actually, it was you I was hoping to speak to Mr Thompson." Marcus replied. "Do you mind if I come in?"

Al was now curious. He wouldn't say that he and Marcus were enemies per se, but they definitely did have a somewhat complicated history. He showed Marcus into the living room, thinking that talking on the doorstep wasn't really going to make things go any more smoothly. Marcus came in and sat down.

"You have a lovely home Mr Thompson." Marcus complimented him.

"You should know, you paid for it." Al reminded him.

"Is this a new couch?" Marcus asked. "It's very…"

"Marcus, can we skip the pleasantries and get to why you're here?" Al asked him. Marcus just smiled.

"That's what I always liked about you Al, straight to the point! There's no double-speak with you!" Marcus said in response. This just got Al even more curious. He hadn't known Marcus long but he had known him long enough to know he wasn't in the habit of throwing around compliments unless he was trying to butter someone up to ask them for something. "I'm a proud man Al, but I'm not too proud to admit when I've made a mistake."

"Mistake?" Al asked him.

"I may have been a little dismissive of your new business plan when I was last here." Marcus responded. Al now realised what was happening. He should have seen this coming. Marcus had to have been served with his legal papers by now. He had figured out that it was Al's clients that were suing him on his recommendation.

"Yes, I believe you called it a nickel-and-dime operation." Al reminded him.

"Well, nickels and dimes very quickly make up whole dollars." Marcus said with a smile. "I underestimated how many people were looking for a service like this. I was wondering if perhaps I could help you out."

"Help me?" Al asked. "I'm listening."

"I was wondering if I could commission you to do some work for my firm." Marcus stated.

"That's not really what I do here…"

"Please, just hear me out." Marcus continued. "I'd pay you a suitable commission, and you would provide advice for my company…"

"Forgive me, but again that's not really what I do." Al reiterated. "Besides, I worked for you, I've seen your books. I know how many financial advisors you already have, and they're much more expensive than I am."

"Well, I was thinking about what you said about the people that can't afford those services." Marcus told him, handing him a contract. "You'd get a suitable commission, you would be able to work from home, you could set your own hours…"

"It says here I'd have to run all my advice past your office before I delivered it to my clients." Al said, reading the contract.

"Well, a second set of eyes to check on something is never a bad idea is it?" Marcus asked.

"It also says it'd be an exclusive contract." Al answered. Marcus just nodded.

"You would be suitably compensated…"

"Oh, I agree, this salary is generous." Al replied. "So, to summarise, I would get paid six figures for a job where I don't have to come into the office and I'm told what I am and am not allowed to tell my clients?"

"Mr Thompson, our children are friends, I wanted to help out…"

"It's because our kids are friends that I'm choosing what I say very carefully." Al told him.

"Mr Thompson…

"Let's cut the crap Marcus, we both know what this is about!" Al responded. "I can't talk about it because it involves my clients, but we both know exactly what this is. You want to buy me off!"

"I don't appreciate your tone…"

"And I don't appreciate you coming into my home and trying to bribe me into turning on my clients!" Al snapped in response.

"It's not like it would be something new to you." Marcus responded sharply. Al just threw the contract back at him.

"Leave! Now!" Al barked at him. "NOW!"

"You're making a big mistake Mr Thompson." Marcus told him as he left. Marcus got onto his cell phone as he left. Al could be stubborn, he knew that, but he was hoping that between their kids being friends and the fledgling status of his business, he could talk him around. "Mr Windsor, about that issue…no, I'm afraid it's not been resolved. The man is more stubborn than I initially believed. Yes…I understand…I'll brief the investors at my office tomorrow."

Meanwhile, back at the Foster house, Calvin was just finishing up clearing the table with Mrs Foster.

"I have some leftovers here for you. I know your mom loves my turkey stuffing." She told him.

"Yeah, she definitely does. Just between you and me, she's better with engines than food." Calvin stated.

"So, you're really running against Hayley?" She asked. Calvin just smiled.

"It kind of started out as a joke, but it is kind of fun. Kids I've never spoken to before are coming to listen to what I have to say." Calvin told her. "Besides, what does it matter right? Whichever one of us wins the school gets a good president."

"You'd really be alright with losing to Hayley?" She asked him. He shrugged his shoulders.

"I guess no one likes losing, but if I do, I'd rather lose to someone I know would do a good job." Calvin answered.

"Well, that's really good to hear." Mrs Foster replied as Calvin took a cupcake and took a bite.

"Mrs Foster, these are really good!" He complimented her. "The last time my mom tried baking you could have built a house with them."

"I'm sure it wasn't that bad." She chuckled.

"Seriously, I think my mom would really like these." Calvin told her. "Do you have the recipe?"

"I'll just write it down for you." She told him, grabbing a pen and paper.


	34. Politics Gets Dirty

Early morning, even earlier than was normal for the Rangers, Calvin came into the High School. The Rangers had learned long ago how to slip in and out of the school without setting off any alarm bells, the one drawback of having their Ranger Base on the premises of a Public School was that the team would have a lot of explaining to do what a bunch of teenagers were doing at school hours before the school opened or hours after it closed, on weekends, even holidays if they were caught. Things were a lot easier now that Principal Hastings knew about them and quite literally gave them the keys, but they had been used to slipping in and out of the school like it was their own personal club house now for months.

He was carrying several bags with him as he entered. The Rangers all regularly arrived early to train for a while before school, but Calvin wasn't here this early to train. He went straight to the Home Economics department, where he smiled as he found his campaign manager, Sarah, slumped over a desk, snoring like a freight train.

He put down his bags and approached, waving a cup of mocha under her nose. Sarah started to stir.

"I was starting to wonder if you got my message." Calvin greeted her as she yawned and rubbed her eyes.

"Cal, it is WAY too early for anyone to be this awake." She grumbled.

"It's the benefits of clean-living and a four pack of Red Bull." He answered. She just glared at him with a look that could kill. Agreeing to be his campaign manager was not sounding anything like as much fun as she had originally believed. She had agreed to come, but she was definitely regretting it.

"Just tell me why we're here." She groaned. Calvin started unloading Tupperware containers full of some kind of batter. "What is all of this?"

"Cupcake batter!" He told her. "I spent all night making it, and I messaged Mr Willis, the Home Ec. Teacher who said he'd lend me a couple of ovens to bake them."

"We're making cupcakes?" Sarah asked him. He just smiled.

"I'm holding a rally in the canteen at morning break. The batter takes about half an hour to bake, so if we put them in now, then we'll be able to pull them out and they'll be nicely cooled and ready to ice before class."

"You're making cupcakes?" Sarah asked him. Calvin just shrugged as he started setting up pastry cases in baking trays.

"Bribery's always been a part of politics." He reminded her. "And if you've ever tasted some of Hayley's mom's cupcakes…"

"This is Hayley's mom's recipe? Oh my GOD! Hayley gave me a carton of these once I inhaled about twenty of them and…" She paused for a moment. "You're going to bribe voters with Hayley's mom's cupcakes?"

"No, I'm going to give people a few cupcakes at my rally." Calvin answered. "If they then choose to vote for me, then that's just all the sweeter!"

Sarah wasn't the only one that had an early start that morning. Marcus had left his apartment far earlier than normal, but he was not heading to the office. Once he called his investors and word had started to spread about his visit to Al, they had summoned him once more, something that was becoming more than a little bit of a wearing habit.

They were not bringing him to any office, no one wanted to hold a meeting anywhere that would be tied to them. Instead, he had been brought to a health spa, one of the few places that would be open at this time. A meeting of some of a bunch of billionaires at one of their businesses might raise some questions, but a few businessmen going to a gym for a quick swim and a few minutes in a steam room? That was just how a lot of people started their day!

The location also afforded other benefits. Since all the men would be in the spa in their swimming trunks, there was no danger anyone would be carrying any kind of recording devices. As Marcus came into the main room, he found a large man standing outside a steam room, his arms folded defensively. He headed towards him and was about to enter when the man blocked his way.

"The bathing suit." He instructed Marcus. Marcus just sighed and removed his trunks, at which the man handed him a towel and gestured him inside. There, his investors were already waiting, sitting on the benches, wrapped only in towels.

"Good morning Marcus." Mr Windsor greeted him, pointing to a bench. Marcus went and took a seat.

"You know we could have done this…."

"Marcus, you assured us you would have this covered!" One of them interrupted him. "This is meant to be your city!"

"Gentlemen, we've all been in business long enough to know that some people won't listen to reason…"

"It's your job to MAKE them listen!" Mr Yoshida, his Japanese backer stated. Mr Yashida was an older man, balding with faint moustache and beard. He was heavily tattooed and looked completely at ease being naked and dressed only in a towel in front of his business associates. Back home, he regularly held his board meetings in his luxury bath houses. "Who is this troublemaker?"

"A former employee with a start-up company." Marcus responded.

"He WORKED for you?" Mr Popov, a Russian oligarch with a heavy investment chipped in. He had been involved in a lot of suspect businesses now for decades and had a property portfolio that looked almost like he was setting up a small nation. He had dark hair and a gaunt appearance. "Name."

"It really doesn't…"

"His name is Al Thompson." Mr Windsor told them. Marcus' face fell. He didn't know how Mr Windsor had gotten that information. The only way would have been if he had some kind of mole in his company or some other form of surveillance on Marcus. The others all started to shift a little.

"Thompson, I know this name." Popov stated. "Was he not the one that…?"

"He was the one behind the Yaxley scam." Mr Windsor confirmed. "Mr Tien here had him on the books as an auditor, but…"

"You are spying on ME?" Marcus screamed. Windsor just laughed.

"Mr Tien, don't act like you're all offended, I'm perfectly certain you have just as many moles in my company. None of us got where we did by trusting others on their word." Mr Windsor responded. "So, the Yaxley fraudster is now painting himself as a champion of the working man? Interesting."

"I don't care how interesting it is, I want to hear how we get it to end!" Mr Russel, an American investor said as he stroked his chin.

"I made him an offer, but he turned me down." Mr Tien answered. "Give me some time and…"

"I think we've accommodated you quite enough Mr Tien." Popov declared. "If you've made him an offer that he refused, I say perhaps it's time we visit him. See if we can't come up with something that makes him sit up and pay attention."

Back at the school, morning break came around, and the students were making their way around to the canteen. The middle of campaign week was when the candidates generally started to really campaign. The Friday it was against the rules for them to release any more materials and releasing anything at the beginning of the week had the very real danger that the notoriously fickle and short memory of the students would have moved on to the next distraction by the time the votes came around.

Victor and Monty were watching from the side-lines. Victor just looked to Monty.

"So, what do you have for me?" He asked.

"I saw Calvin and Sarah going in and out of the Home Ec. Department." He told him. "I have a feeling they've got something to 'sweeten' the pot so to speak."

"Really Monty? That's the best you can do?" Victor asked as Calvin continued his speech.

"It's the perfect opportunity. People will be expecting something sweet, and I'll really HEAT things up!" Monty said to him, pulling out a bottle of hot sauce. Victor just looked to him.

"You mean…?"

"A couple of bottles of this and people will be ready to riot!" Monty told him, pulling out another bottle. Victor just stared at him.

"You ran out for two bottles of hot sauce?" He asked.

"My mom made me tuna rolls for lunch." Monty told him. "I like them spicy!"

"You just have no taste buds at all do you?" Victor asked. "You're a strange little dude Monty, but I think you're onto something."

Hayley and Preston were pushing trollies into the canteen when they saw that Calvin had set up first. The students were all gathered around to hear him speak.

Calvin wasn't exactly one of the popular students. He wasn't one of the nerds. He just kind of…was. He was one of those kids that existed in the middle of the social spectrum. He was a nice guy, and with the exception of Ace, who once suffered a well-deserved beating at Calvin's hands, none of the kids had a problem with him, but on the same token a lot of them didn't really KNOW him or what he was about. Now was a perfect time for them to get a chance to find out what kind of guy he was and where he stood on most of the issues pertinent to them.

Calvin wasn't actually much of a position kind of guy himself. He'd always been more of a laid-back and in-the-moment kind of person. He was a lot happier with addressing problems when they came up than to outright go looking for them or inadvertently causing them. He was not just a mechanic as a hobby, it was very much his mentality on life.

"Thank you so much for coming to listen to me today." He declared as he was making the final points on his speech. Hayley saw the kids gathered around hanging on his words and had to admit being impressed. She had known that a large part of the motivation for Calvin even signing up was her teasing him about his unreliability and their fight going a little bit too far. That said, when he had started the campaign, he hadn't rested on his laurels or expected to run on platitudes, he really was putting on a respectable campaign to get attention. One of the things she always admired about Calvin was a side a lot of people never really saw, that despite being so relaxed and laid-back, when motivated, he could do some pretty amazing things when he put his mind to it. If he was elected, it wouldn't be as though he'd just shrug and think job done. Even though he hadn't intended to run, he would represent those that came to him with their issues to the best of his ability. "I know a lot of people say that I'm just a mechanic, too laid-back to be President, and you know what? They may be right."

This was a rather odd move for anyone to make in any political speech. Generally, the accepted approach was for everyone to make themselves look flawless, to paint themselves as the perfect person and not admit any faults. As she got down the stairs, she listened on, waiting to hear what he would say next. Preston nudged her.

"Hayls, we need to set this up." He reminded her. She just waved him off and smiled.

"But if you bring me something that's broken, I can fix it. Every time." He continued. "The same way I can make our school a better place if you elect me as your President. Thank you, guys. Don't forget to vote!"

As he concluded his speech, even Hayley clapped. He saw her and made his way over, pleased to see her there. He got up to her, taking her hands in his and looked to her, able to see that she had that expression that let him know she wanted to say something.

"I have to say, that was actually a pretty good speech." She told him. "If I wasn't running for President, I'd absolutely vote for you."

"Thanks, that's really sweet." Calvin answered her. "I know this was always your thing and me throwing my hat in the ring was kind of a surprise, even to me, but it means a lot to me that you'd support me, and you know I'd support you too."

"Listen, I know I said some dumb things. I know you're not too laid-back." She said to him as she looked into his eyes. "And I know that alarm being knocked off the dresser and not going off MIGHT have been just as much my fault as yours. But I've seen the real you. I know you can do pretty much anything you set your mind to, and you've done a pretty great job here."

"Don't apologise. I know I can be a little lax." He admitted. "I should have been on time to pick you up."

"Not a problem." Hayley replied, at which Calvin kissed her gently on the cheek. He then went over to a table Sarah was finishing setting up.

"Alright, then let's get out the campaign give-aways."

"Cal, you've proven you have what it takes, you don't have to run anymore." Hayley interjected. Calvin just looked at her.

"Oh, I know I don't HAVE to run, but I WANT to." Calvin told her. "I'm applying to college soon and this could look really good on an application."

"Seriously?" She asked him. Just then, she noticed a commotion.

"Wow, free cupcakes!" Someone said. Hayley could recognise the smell and looked over.

"Hey! Those are my mom's cupcakes!" She shrieked. Calvin gave her a taunting little smirk.

"Yup, and voters will just loooove her recipe!" He replied. Instead of getting mad though, she just smiled back.

"My mom's cupcakes ARE good." She agreed. "But NOT as good as her cake!"

With that, Preston revealed a whole table full of chocolate cake. Calvin just looked to Hayley as she backed away, cockily setting up behind her stall. It looked like he wasn't the only one to come up with the idea of straight up bribery to affect the vote.

He went to his own stall, beginning to hand out cupcakes, but he could see that already the audience was splitting between the two stalls. He and Hayley exchanged a couple of little glances as they distributed their cakes, before all of a sudden, someone started screaming.

"Aw man, that…that's awful!" One of the students complained. "It BURNS!"

More and more students started to complain, running to spit into trash cans and forming rugby scrums around the vending machines and drinks fountains. Hayley and Calvin started scrambling to try and find out what happened.

"What's going on?" Calvin asked. "These cupcakes…"

"Oh…oh MAN my mouth is on FIRE!" Sarah complained. Calvin noticed red streaks on the frosting.

"We didn't add these streaks." He replied as Sarah just coughed, tears streaming down her face. He sampled some, but the heat was almost enough to knock him off his feet. "This is HOT SAUCE!"

In the confusion, Victor took up position near Hayley's table. He could see the chaos and knew it wouldn't be long before Hastings would get here. However, seeing a slice of cake, he got inspiration for something to tip it just over the edge.

"Food fight!" He called out in a high-pitched voice to mask his own, before throwing it. It struck a kid who was looking the other way. The kid turned in time to see someone laughing, put two and two together and got fifteen. Before long, every kid was picking up all the food that wasn't nailed down and throwing it in a massive scene of chaos. Victor and Monty scurried away to safety before Principal Hastings could arrive. A sharp tone from a whistle let the kids know that they had all been busted and the party was over as she got there. Kids all started pointing at each other accusingly, but another sharp blow of the whistle quickly silenced them and let them know that the Principal was in no mood to hear anyone's story.

She pointed to both Calvin and Hayley, who were both covered in cream and frosting, and gestured to them to come to her. They both did, standing before her.

"This was SUPPOSED to be a dignified election between civilised nominees." Principal Hastings said to them both in a calm, measured tone that only barely disguised her rage. She would have hoped for much better from Hayley and Calvin, even before she knew they were Rangers. "If I hear about one more shenanigan from either of you, I will disqualify you both from this election. Is that clear?"

"But Principal Hastings…"

"IS THAT CLEAR!" She barked, silencing both of them. They both just nodded in response.

"Yes ma'am." They chorused together.

"Now, since ALL of you made this mess, ALL of you can clean it up." She put down flatly. As she stormed away, Victor and Monty just shared a celebratory high-five before getting to work helping to clean up.

Over at the Thompson house, Al was in the house alone. Ellie was out at a job interview while he was taking a break from some of his paperwork.

He was just preparing himself a coffee as the doorbell sounded. He picked up his cup and headed to the door, answering it.

"Marcus?" He asked, seeing Mr Tien standing on his doorstep. There were other men there too, men wearing very expensive suits. Behind them, the street was lined with some very expensive cars that made it look like someone was opening up a BMW dealership.

"Al…"

"Mr Thompson." He corrected him.

"Mr Thomspon, Mr Tien has told us a fair bit about you." Mr Windsor told him. "Can we come in and talk?"

"The Living Room is this way." Al told them, gesturing them inside. "Make yourselves comfortable."


	35. Reach Out And Touch Base

Marcus and his conglomerate sat in the comparatively modest setting of Al's Living Room, waiting for him to return. He had expected that Marcus wouldn't just let the matter of his involvement in the lawsuit that threatened to cost Marcus, and he assumed the rest of his investors, a few million easily drop without trying again to sway him. Marcus had already tried to essentially bribe him with a six figure a year salary for 'financial advice' that he would direct, meaning if he had to do any work at all it would be to just toe the company line and tell his clients what Marcus wanted them to hear. That said, he wasn't expecting Marcus to show up mob-handed so to speak.

He had excused himself from the room on the pretence of making refreshments, just so he could compose himself. He wanted to take stock and gather his thoughts before he heard what they had to say. He poured out coffee for the group, and headed back to the Living Room where his 'guests' were waiting for him. He put the tray down on the table. He could see the looks on their faces as they saw simple paper cups on the tray.

"I know this isn't what you're used to, but my clients have simple tastes." Al told them. "I do have to make cutbacks somewhere for expenses."

"I'm certain this will be fine." Marcus began, gesturing to his investors that he would take the lead. "Thank you for agreeing to see us."

"I don't know if 'agree' is the right word, but I'm happy enough to hear what you have to say." Al replied, keeping up his cagey demeanour. It was a power play, and important part of negotiation. He wanted Marcus to come to him and force him to make the first play for what he wanted.

"I'd like to introduce..."

"That's not at all necessary, I know who you all are gentlemen." Al interrupted him in a controlling move. "It's not every day six of the wealthiest oligarchs in the state turn up on your doorstep. I'm honoured, but also curious what I've done to deserve this."

"Al, we may have gotten off on the wrong foot." Marcus stated. Al just smiled.

"I sincerely doubt that." Al replied confidently. Mr Windsor sat forward, blocking Marcus. That was something that wasn't lost on Al, and let him know where the power in the room was...at least for now.

"Mr Tien was telling us about how you started your new business after you left his employ." Mr Windsor stated.

"A man has bills to pay." Al said curtly, now focusing on Windsor.

"Yes, he does indeed. I have to say though, what you've accumulated in such a short time is really quite remarkable." Windsor stated, pulling a file out of his briefcase. "You've only been in business a couple of weeks and already you have a portfolio that..."

"Can you just get to the point while I try and ignore the fact you're spying on my clients?" Al replied coldly. Windsor smiled and took out another contract, handing it to Al. "You're offering to buy me out."

"Your business is very impressive, it's a business plan I know I never thought of." Windsor commented. "I'm sure you'll find the figure very appealing..."

"Well yes, seven figures for a three week old business is very impressive." Al agreed. "I just have to ask though, what's your plan for the business?"

"Well, is that really your concern? You could just enjoy the money..."

"Let me tell you what your plan is." Al interjected. "I sell you my business; sign this contract which has a...ten year no-compete clause? Nice touch by the way. Then once the sale is through you close the doors."

"Mr Thompson, I don't..."

"You're trying to buy me off. Marcus tried yesterday and since I turned him down, you were hoping a higher offer might make me change my mind." Al told him. "I can't blame you, it's a sound strategy, I've seen it a few times."

"I wouldn't say it quite like that but..."

"Then let me put it plainly." Al answered, throwing the contract back onto the table. "I'm not selling my business."

"If the figure isn't to your liking, we can negotiate." Windsor answered, giving Al a winning smile that he had seen on the cover of numerous investment publications. Al just shook his head.

"Mr Windsor, you don't understand. I am NOT selling my business." Al reiterated. "I like what I do now."

"Do you honestly think this publicity stunt for your back-alley operation is going to make you a big shot?" Mr Popov scoffed, his impatience becoming obvious. "We've all worked VERY hard for what we have! Do you think we're going to let some dime-store nobody get in our way?"

"Well, that escalated a little more quickly than I anticipated, I thought you might make at least one more offer before you began with the threats." Al said, folding his arms defiantly. "You say you worked hard, but do your plumbers work any less? Your electricians? Your labourers? Do they not work hard? Pay them what they're worth and you won't have a problem."

"Al, please be reasonable." Marcus interjected, trying to calm things down.

"I am being reasonable Marcus." Al told him. "My clients come to me because they trust me."

"We all know what a mistake that is." Popov said, prodding Al in the chest with his finger as he got up to stand over him. "We all know about your past dealings..."

"I wouldn't be surprised, every man in this room has benefited from my past misdeeds more than once." Al said, just standing up to him. "The problem is, I've worked very hard to not be that man any more, and you seem to be trying to appeal to that man. Now, I'm a reasonable man but I will NOT be threatened in my own living room, and I'd appreciate all of you getting out of my damn house!"

"We haven't begun to threaten you yet!" Popov roared. "You can benefit from this or we can...wait...what are you doing?"

"Hello, police?" Al said as he pulled out his cell phone and dialled. "Yes, there are some people in my living room. I've asked them to leave and they're refusing to go."

"Alright, we've got the message." Mr Windsor said, getting up with the others. "We're leaving."

"They're leaving, sorry to waste your time." Al said as he hung up. The men all filed out of the door, but Marcus lingered for a moment, looking to Al a little stunned by the way things had gone.

"Al, you have no idea who these people are." Marcus stated. "Why couldn't you just take the offer?"

"I know exactly who they are Marcus; I used to be one of them." Al reminded him. "Pay those people what they're owed Marcus, because I'm not going anywhere."

Marcus shook his head, but instead of angry, he almost looked apologetic as he left the house. Al went to the door and closed it behind him, before smiling. As much as he was certain things were going to get rough, he had to think, if he had six of the richest men in the state threatening him over his "nickel-and-dime" operation, he had to be doing something right!

Back at the High School, the food fight was the talk of the school. While the classrooms were a lot quieter than usual, with teachers enforcing their no-talking rules a little more stringently to prevent things flaring up since already speculation and accusations as to who started the food fight and who was to blame for the whole debacle were running rampant and threatening to bubble over. The number of tones sounding on cell phones and quiet whispers did let everyone know that the conversations were still going on as people started lining up to take sides, but the loud talk was now over.

Calvin was working on some calculus when his cell phone rang. He looked around to make sure that Mrs Finch hadn't spotted him and hid behind his book as he answered it.

"Calvin, its Preston." He heard the Blue Ranger begin. He looked over to where Preston was sitting on his own. The teachers had split up the candidates and the people associated with them in order to try and keep things calm. Preston was sitting with his back to him, and his face buried in his book. "Listen, we need to talk."

"What are you doing?" Calvin asked him. "We're going to get busted..."

"Cal, you need to listen to me. Hayley started that food fight." Preston told him. Calvin furrowed his brows.

"She did?" He asked in response. "Are you sure about that?"

"I swear, I was surprised too, but she's gone crazy! You know how competitive she is!" Preston continued. "I swear, I saw everything, this thing is getting really out of hand!"

Calvin didn't want to believe it. Hayley could be competitive, that much was true. Victor had once beaten her in a tennis match and she had immediately started practicing an hour every single day for almost a whole year with the intention of avenging the defeat. She had talked about becoming President for months. She was always talking about how she wanted to start her intended career as early as possible even in this small scale. Calvin had admitted that his campaign only really began out of the fact Hayley kept making fun of him over his unreliability but as he continued, he was surprised by how many people were willing to talk to him about their problems and started to think he could do a good job.

Hayley also had been a little quick to act surprised that he didn't want to just drop out when she apologised for calling him unreliable. Was that why she apologised in the first place?

"Preston, are you sure...?"

"I'm telling you, this is getting nuts! If she keeps up like this...I don't want to think what it'll do to the group." Preston answered. "Look, meet me behind the gym at lunch time. I have proof of everything, I promise!"

"Um...OK." Calvin answered as he hung up. He didn't want to believe that Hayley would take things that far, but right now he wasn't sure what to believe, and if it was bad enough that Preston was willing to flip on her, then he worried that perhaps Hayley had gotten so far involved that she had lost sight of what was important.

On the other side of the classroom, Sarah was working on some campaign ideas. Being something of a math whizz, she'd already finished her assigned work, and was trying to get a jump on the next leg of the campaign. They still had a day and a half to get their message out, and she was now even more determined to win.

She didn't know who started the food fight, no one really did. She didn't even really see who threw the first cake, and once the chaos began, it wasn't really easy to tell much of anything, but it had to be one heck of a coincidence that it happened after Calvin had put on such a strong showing in his speech.

Sarah was struggling with her ideas though, because as much as she now wanted to be able to see the look on Hayley's face when Calvin won, she couldn't get the thoughts out of her mind. Would Hayley really go that far? There was so much doubt over who had started the food fight; Hastings had threatened both of them with disqualification. It didn't make much sense for Hayley to do something that threatened her campaign too. She could be competitive, but was she really willing to try and get Calvin, her boyfriend, disqualified to win? She definitely couldn't remember her ever doing anything to harm Calvin. Was it possible it was someone else? Who else stood to benefit from both candidates being disqualified? Was anyone else actually running? She couldn't remember seeing or hearing anyone making any plays.

Just then, her phone rang. She made sure Mrs Finch hadn't seen her and answered it.

"Sarah." She answered.

"Hey, Sarah its Levi." She heard the Gold Ranger begin. She was confused, Levi was taking a class right now, he had his own students to attend to, and he had to know that they were in a class.

"Levi?" She asked. "What are you doing? I'm going to get in so much trouble if Finch catches me..."

"Sarah, you have to listen. I...I know who started that food fight." Levi told her. "It was Hayley."

"Hayley?" Sarah asked him. She could hardly believe what she was hearing. Hayley was her best friend. She was competitive but she wasn't vindictive. Sure, she had seen her be a little petulant and throw a tantrum or two when her frustrations got too much, but everyone got like that at times. Of course, Levi was the one telling her, and she could never once remember Levi ever lying about anything. "Are you sure?"

"I was standing at the side of the room; I saw her pick up the first cake." Levi assured her. "Listen, this election might have started out being fun, but it's gotten so far out of hand it's not even funny anymore."

"Levi, are you absolutely sure about what you saw?" Sarah asked him.

"I've got proof, I promise you." Levi assured her. "Meet me at the gym at lunch time. I think we need to figure out how we're going to talk to Hayley about this. She needs to see what this could do to the team."

"I...I guess you're right." Sarah answered. "I'll meet you there."

Up on the Warrior Dome, Phonepanzee hung up his receiver and looked to Wrench and Cosmo who were observing him as he made his calls.

"So, what do you think?" He asked.

"You're good, you are good, I have to give you that!" Cosmo said with an impressed look on his face. "I can see why so many people fell for your scams."

"So, am I done here?" Phonepanzee asked him. "Am I free to go?"

"Oh, I don't think so. You didn't think I only wanted you to make some crank calls did you?" Cosmo asked him.

"But..but...but they're the Rangers!" He stammered. "They could destroy me!"

"My colleague here could destroy you right now!" Cosmo answered, at which Wrench pulled out his axe. "Now, before you go down and set the trap, I think you have time for one more call."

Phonepanzee sighed and started to dial. He had to wait a while before he got an answer.

"Hey, who is this?" Brody answered.

"Brody, its Preston." Phonepanzee told him. "You're not going to believe what I have to tell you!"


	36. Call Waiting

**A/N:** OK, fair warning, in about six weeks I'll be attending a certain convention in Anaheim, and I'll be away for a week, so I won't be writing during that time.

Secondly, I will not be finished with the Ninja Steel section of my stories by then, but I certainly hope to be a good way through it, including an original storyline to replace the "Adventures of Redbot" episode which I was not a huge fan of.

I hope to finish THIS story before I go, but no promises. Enjoy the chapter.

The ride back to the office was a long one for Marcus. He had now been caught up in a very difficult position, one that he had no intention of getting himself into. His investment, his new resort was meant to be a major crowning jewel in his portfolio, one that would ensure the legacy and prosperity of the Tien name, likely until Preston's grandchildren became adults!

He played with his wedding ring, which he still wore even all these years after his wife had been taken from him. He was never the best with people, he always knew that much. He was a shark in the board room and when it came to negotiation he was a master, but when it came to dealing with people, sadly he had a habit of reducing things to a very simple case of people who would do what he wanted and people who were in his way. His wife had been the one to curb him whenever he was about to take things too far. He was starting to wonder what she would say if she could see him now, what she would say to him.

When he had heard that Al was the one behind the law suit his labourers were filing, he had initially been incensed. As much as he always knew his relationship with Al was a difficult one and that they were never likely destined to be friends, he did feel badly about the way Al had ended up leaving his employ, and he had been more than happy to deal with his medical expenses as a way to try and make things right with him. His son was good friends with Al's daughter, and while a part of him had thought that things would be a lot less complicated if they weren't friends, he didn't really want to start telling Preston who he was and wasn't allowed to be friends with. Preston was 17, and already becoming a man. Pretty soon, he would be making his own decisions in life.

Marcus hadn't intended to bring the others into this issue with Al. He had hoped to resolve it himself, dare he say in an amicable manner whereby they would walk away from each other without either of them ending up any worse off, but Windsor it seemed had already done his own research and finding out who Al was. Before he could do much about it, he had quite literally turned up with the wolves on his doorstep.

As they got to the office building, Marcus marched in with the others, while his attendants took their cars to park up.

"I'm having an urgent meeting in my office. No one is to disturb us!" Marcus snapped at the first member of staff he saw, before getting into the elevator and heading up. When they got there, he walked past, reiterating the same message to his receptionist while his investors all went into the office. Marcus shut the doors behind him and locked them.

"Gentlemen, allow me to pour..."

"It better be the good stuff Marcus!" Mr Russel, the American investor yelled at him. Marcus was not at all used to being talked to in this way, especially in his own building, but right now so much of his finances were tied to these men and vice versa that he could see the tensions getting frayed. "That was a COMPLETE waste of time!"

"Gentlemen, I beg you calm down, it's not like we haven't had setbacks before..."

"I trusted you Marcus! I sank forty percent of my holdings into this because you assured me you had this in the bag!" Russel continued as Marcus started pouring them all some brandy.

"Gentlemen, why fight among ourselves?" Mr Yoshida, the Japanese investor asked them as he pulled out a cigar and started searching for a match. "It is clear what the problem is."

"Al is stubborn, but he isn't stupid." Marcus told them. "I'm sure we can..."

"I'm through playing nice Marcus." Russel told him. "We've tried talking to him, we've tried buying him off, and he told us he wasn't interested. Well, if he wants to play with the big boys, he can learn the hard way we play rough!"

"Gentlemen, please, Al is...idealistic, but he's a nobody." Marcus said, trying to reason with them as he saw this quickly spinning beyond even his control. He didn't want a full on war with a former employee, and the father of one of his son's best friends. He had wanted this to just slide away, but it looked like that was no longer on the books. "We should just..."

"Marcus, the man wanted this fight, he's going to get it. It's not our fault if he gets hurt!" Russel replied as he dialled his cell phone.

"Who...who are you phoning?" Marcus asked him.

"Oh, this isn't a phone call. This is an atom bomb!" Russell assured him. "By the time we're done, Thompson's going to know what fire and fury is all about!"

Lunch time came, and Sarah quickly stuffed her bag into her locker. Preston had told her that he and Hayley were going to be holding a rally at lunch time, and she really didn't have any interest in sticking around for that. Not only did she not want to risk something else happening when they were all on a final warning by Hastings for the food fight, but she also had agreed to meet Levi by the gym.

She still didn't want to believe that Hayley might have started the food fight, but Levi assured her he had proof. If that was the case, she wanted to see it before she accused her best friend of taking the High School election way too seriously.

She wasn't even sure what she would say to Hayley if she did have the proof. She knew that this was something important to Hayley, but was it really important enough for her to risk her relationship with Calvin or her friends? She grabbed her hover board and headed for the door, brushing past Principal Hastings as she did so. Hastings was just doing her rounds to make sure her presence was felt, especially in the wake of the food fight.

She looked to Sarah as she headed out the door, thinking this seemed odd. She couldn't remember Sarah leaving the school during the day other than for attacks. She usually spent her time in the workshop or in the canteen with her friends.

"That's odd." She commented, before heading to her office. Mick was in there, watching her television as he was waiting for her. His face was scrunched up in confusion.

"What are you doing?" She asked him.

"Oh, the universe I come from lives under a dictatorship so I thought I'd watch some of the political news to see if I could figure out what this democracy thing is all about." Mick told her. "I don't get it, this guy just screams 'fake news' every time someone criticises him for something. Is that how it works?"

"It depends who you ask." She sighed. "I'd suggest picking another channel though, that network is about as useful for getting accurate political information as Cartoon Network."

Mick just shrugged and turned off the TV.

"I just figured that with this election thing going on and the teachers supposedly meant to moderate things I should learn a little bit about it." He continued.

"Well, try going to the library and checking out Machiavelli." She chuckled. Mick just stared at her blankly.

"What's Machiavelli?" He asked her. "I heard the words Congress and Senate and Legislature but what's the Machiavelli?"

"Just...never mind, it was a bad joke." She replied. "I swear this time of year is always trying but this year? This year it's turned into a bloodbath."

"Someone got hurt?" Mick shrieked.

"It's just an expression...damn it, sometimes I keep forgetting you're not from Earth." She grumbled. "There was a food fight in the canteen at morning break. I had to give Calvin and Hayley an official warning for misconduct."

"Wait...that was Calvin and Hayley?" Mick asked her.

"It shocked the hell out of me too!" She answered. "Hayley's always been a model student, it's the reason I wanted her to run, and Calvin...I've never so much as needed to send him to detention!"

"Why would they do that?" Mick asked her.

"I don't know...politics just has this way of turning reasonable people into bloodthirsty savages!" Principal Hastings answered. "Sometimes I wonder if we really have progressed from the days where leaders were decided by a sword."

"As someone who grew up somewhere that was the case, believe me this is still way better!" Mick assured her. "Cream and frosting cleans up a lot more easily than corpses and severed body parts."

"I'll just be glad when this is all over." She told him. "I just saw Sarah heading out of the school grounds. Sarah never leaves during the day unless some hundred foot bug or set of bagpipes or something is stomping all over the city!"

"That's...that's weird, because I thought I saw Brody leaving too." Mick answered. "Excuse me."

"Wait, where are you going?" Jennifer asked him. "I thought we were going to have lunch!"

"Um...rain check?" Mick asked her. "Sorry Jennifer."

With that, he ran out. Jennifer just sighed and got her lunch out of her mini fridge.

"As if I needed another reason to hate politics." She mumbled.

Calvin got to the gym, finding that he was all alone. Preston had phoned him in class to tell him that he was going to be there with proof Hayley had started the food fight.

"Preston?" He called out. "Preston! Where are you?"

"I'm over here." He heard a voice answering from behind some dumpsters. Calvin approached, looking a little confused by this.

"Preston?" He asked. "Are you hiding in the trash?"

"I don't want Hayley to catch us!" Preston told him. "Come here! You've got to see this!"

Calvin made his way over, and he could see a pair of legs sticking out from behind the dumpster. He started to laugh.

"You know, for being both a magician AND a ninja, you really need to learn to hide better." Calvin teased him as he got closer. He started to think it was a little odd though that the legs didn't seem to be moving. "Preston, is everything alright?"

He rounded the edge of the dumpster, but instead of Preston, he found Sarah lying on the floor. It was pretty clear she had been in a fight from the bruises and a nasty looking gash across her forehead. More troublingly, her hands seemed to be tied behind her back, and she was gagged.

"SARAH!" Calvin called out, rushing to her side. He started shaking her, but she was out for the count. "Sarah, what happened?"

"You're about to find out!" He heard Hayley's voice saying. He turned to look for her, only to see the monster he'd seen earlier in the week standing before him. "SONIC BOOM!"

Before Calvin could get his Power Star out, he was blasted into the wall and slid down unconscious. Phonepanzee started cackling as some Basher Bots showed up.

"Hurry up! We need to set up again! The Red Ranger will be here any minute!" He told them as one of them threw him Calvin's Power Star. "Two down, four to go!"

He looked up as he heard someone coming and started waving wildly.

"Here, he's coming!" He told them. "Everyone, back into your hiding places!"

With that, he dove back into some nearby bushes just as Brody arrived.

"Hmm...that's strange." Brody remarked. "I was sure this is where Sarah told me to meet her. Sarah? Sarah!"

"This is almost TOO easy!" Phonepanzee cackled as he prepared to spring his trap.

Meanwhile, in the school, Hayley was standing on a table in the canteen, delivering a speech to the student body. She could see them all looking at her, and was smiling to think that they were listening. He didn't know if they were more receptive to her, or the tater tots that were that day's option from the canteen, but she was pleased at least to have the audience.

"So I say, why are we not using the funds that have been saved by the teaching positions that are currently vacant? We still have textbooks that haven't been updated since 1993! We have a map in the geography class that displays countries that don't even exist anymore! I know that the school is feeling the pressure of so many staff vacancies unfilled, but why not take this opportunity to update the learning experience? Enhance the online resources. Update what needs to be updated. Let's make Summer Cove High a school for the future!"

She got a round of applause as she stepped down off the table, Preston helping her down.

"That was a great speech Hayley, you really stayed on message!" Preston encouraged her.

"That's always the way to be, on point and on message." Hayley said, patting her manifesto. "When the votes come in, we'll see whether a bunch of promises to react to crises or an actual plan to deal with them is what people want."

"Not everyone." Preston commented as he looked around. "I don't see the others. I can't believe they didn't show up for your speech. You showed up for theirs."

"Maybe they just can't face the defeat coming their way." Hayley suggested. Just then, her phone started ringing. She answered it, smiling.

"Oh, it's you Sarah! We were just talking about you!" Hayley answered. "What's wrong, can't face being on the losing team?"

"Hayley, you've got to come to the gym, right now!" Sarah told her. "Calvin started that food fight!"

"Calvin started the food fight?" She asked her. "Are you sure? I remember you pointing at me..."

"I was...I was still in shock! Hayley, I swear I saw him pick up a cupcake!" Sarah told her. "I don't know what's going through his head but this election's really brought up something in him that I don't recognise...its kind of scary actually."

"Sarah, calm down." Hayley told her.

"Hayley, I'm not kidding about this, I have proof! I think maybe when you made fun of him he felt threatened or something! He's acting like he's got something to prove!" Sarah told her. "I think we might need to have an intervention or something."

"You want to meet us at the gym?" Hayley asked her. "Alright, I'll be right there."

"That was Sarah?" Preston asked.

"Yeah, she said Calvin started the food fight!" Hayley explained. "Come on Preston."

As they were heading towards the door, they found Mick and Levi coming in. They looked like they were looking for someone.

"Hey, there you guys are." Mick greeted them. "Where are the others?"

"I don't know, but I know I'm going looking for my boyfriend." Hayley told them. "Calvin started that food fight."

"Wait, you think Calvin started that food fight?" Mick asked her. "Does that sound right to you?"

"I know I've never seen Calvin put food anywhere other than in his mouth." Levi chuckled. "I swear, one time I saw him eat a whole box of donuts! There wasn't even any sugar left in the box when he was done!"

"Sarah just called us and told us!" Hayley answered. "She told us she has proof!"

"Now you see, Sarah turning on Calvin that really doesn't sound right." Levi said looking to Mick suspiciously. "Sarah's not in the habit of ratting out her friends...excuse me I need to get this."

Levi stepped away from them as he answered his phone. Mick just looked to both Hayley and Preston.

"Look, I don't claim to know much about Earth politics or how things work, but I'd like to think I have a pretty good idea when it comes to my friends, and something sounds a little off here." Mick stated. "I was listening to this guy on the news who kept on complaining about something called 'fake news', well the thing is I don't claim to be an expert, but I think what he was meaning is not everything you hear is true."

"Uh huh! You don't say!" Levi said, his voice becoming a little louder as he came back towards them. "So you want to meet by the gym? Yeah, sure, I'll be along just shortly. See you in a few."

Levi put his phone away and looked to them.

"Well, I think something is definitely going on." Levi told them. "I just got a call to come to the gym..."

"Yeah, to talk about how Calvin started the food fight!" Hayley replied. "I got the same call!"

"Oh, I don't think you did." Levi replied. "Unless you're in the habit of talking to yourself."

"What do you mean by that?" Preston asked him.

"The voice on the other end was yours Hayley." Levi told them. "And unless you can be in two places at once, I say that's a little suspicious."

Just then, Preston's phone started ringing. Mick gestured to Preston to answer it. Preston put it on speaker phone.

"This is Preston." He answered.

"Preston, its Levi." The Gold Ranger's voice said. "You're not going to believe what I have to tell you!"

"Oh...I think I might." Preston gulped, looking at Levi who was standing only three feet away from him!

"Hayley started that food fight. I saw everything! I even have proof!" Levi's voice said. "Bring her to the gym, I'll get the others. I think we need to talk about this before things go too far."

"Yeah, I'll be right there." Preston answered, hanging up.

"OK, I am freaking out!" Hayley yelled out. "You all heard that right?"

"I'd say this smells a lot like Cosmo." Mick told them. "If he wants us to meet by the gym..."

"It's probably a trap." Preston agreed.

"So what do we do about it?" Hayley asked. Levi just smiled.

"I think I have an idea." He replied. "Come on, I'll explain on the way."


	37. Cut The Line

Phonepanzee was pacing impatiently, waiting for the other Rangers to arrive. He had called all three of them, delivering the message to meet at the gym like he had with Brody, Sarah and Calvin, but so far there was not sign of them.

"Bloody teenagers, no sense of punctuality. You can't rely on them for anything!" He grumbled as he looked over to the dumpsters. "How are the prisoners?"

One of the Basher Bots said something, but he just shook his head.

"What the hell am I asking you for? I could never understand what you stupid things say anyway." He muttered, before going back to pacing. Just then, he heard a roar of engines. He looked around, a little surprised by this. He wasn't anywhere near a road, why was he hearing engines?

He wasn't the only one, some of the Basher Bots started looking around, trying to locate the sound. Eventually one of them pointed in the direction of the stairs coming down from the main school building. They all faced the stairs, just in time to see the Gold and White Rangers racing down the stairs towards them on their Mega Morph Cycles.

"YEEE HAH!" Levi screamed as he and Hayley opened fire with their laser cannons, blasting down a number of Basher Bots. Phonepanzee started to panic as he saw them.

"Oh no, they're morphed! They must have figured out my trap!" Phonepanzee screeched as he started waving wildly, trying to call out the rest of his Basher Bot entourage. He was hit by a couple of laser blasts and hit the ground.

"We want our friends back!" Levi called out. "Get your hands off them you damn dirty ape!"

"Really?" Hayley asked him.

"What?" He chuckled in response. "It had to be said!" Hayley just shook her head in disbelief and levelled her sword at Phonepanzee.

"You're going to learn that you NEVER mess with a ninja!" She screamed as she and Levi rushed for the attack.

"Yeah, crank calls? You're going to need something better than that!" Levi added as they started to cut their way through the Basher Bots between them and Phonepanzee.

"Oh, you think all I have is funny voices?" Phonepanzee asked them. "Wait till you see this! SONIC BOOM!"

With that, they were both punted all the way back to the stairs, landing on them painfully. Hayley was on her knees quickly.

"I'm fine Levi, you?" She asked.

"I'll tell you when my ears stop ringing!" He yelled. "Remember, stick to the plan!"

"WHAT?" She called back. Levi just sighed and pointed in Phonepanzee's direction. "OH! ALRIGHT!"

Not far from there, a couple of Basher Bots had been left behind to keep an eye on the prisoners. There were only three of them, since Phonepanzee didn't foresee the need to expend much manpower on prisoners that were still bound.

One of them was on a rooftop above them, overlooking the area. As it finished its sweep and looked down on the prisoners once more, it was grabbed from behind and brought down to the ground, before a boot heel was driven straight through its head, destroying its central processor. Preston checked to make sure he hadn't been heard, before making his way to the edge and looking down.

He could see his friends there, right where he had expected them to be. He got onto his Ninja Comm.

"Mick, your location was spot on. I'm right on top of them." Preston told him.

"Alright, how many guards?" Mick asked him.

"Just two left." Preston told him. "Unfortunately, they're sticking close together. There's no opportunity to take them both at once."

"It's fine Preston, you've trained for this." Mick told him. "Just be careful and make sure you pick your moment right."

"Alright, here goes nothing." Preston answered. The Basher Bots seemed to be circling the bound Rangers, taking care to check on their bonds. Ninjas were masters of escapology. While Preston already knew a lot of good techniques as a result of his training in his illusions, Brody had managed to show him tricks even he was impressed by. While they were not exactly up to the level of things like dislocating bones or training their muscle groups to reduce the size of their limbs to as much as half their normal width, they had already mastered a few techniques that would make simple rope a minimal challenge if they were given the opportunity to work without constant supervision. He waited until they were closest to him and dropped down suddenly.

He landed on one of them with all his bodyweight, smashing it to pieces, while shoving the other one away. Sarah stuck out her legs to trip it, at which it fell over, striking its head on a dumpster. Calvin kicked out as hard as he could with both feet, smashing its head and taking it out. Preston pulled off Sarah's gag and got to work untying her.

"Preston!" She called out, wrapping her arms around him. Preston smiled as he hugged her tightly, knowing that she was safe once more. He parted from her a little way. "That giant chipmunk thing…"

"Yeah, we figured it out." Preston told her. "First rule of making a prank call. Make sure you know where the people you're impersonating are. He called Levi pretending to be Hayley but she was standing right next to him."

"Yeah, and first rule of a jail break, make sure you untie ALL the prisoners, not just your girlfriend before you talk about how clever your escape plan was." Calvin stated as he and Brody stood over them, carrying the Basher Bots' discarded swords.

"Oh…um…" Preston stammered. "But…you guys got out right?"

"Yeah, but you got out." Preston answered.

"Yeah, we did." Brody said as he grabbed one of his wrists, pressing it. They all winced a little as they heard the crunch. "But I'd rather not dislocate my wrist if I don't have to. It kind of hurts."

"You know it is super creepy when you say things like that without so much as saying 'ouch' right?" Calvin commented. Brody just looked at him.

"Ouch." He responded sarcastically. "Alright, we can't morph. That monster has our Power Stars in a canvas bag."

"Did you guys get that?" Preston asked.

"WHAT?" Levi called out, before there was another loud noise, and Preston's Ninja-Comm started screeching. They all recoiled.

"Alright, we need to help them." Brody answered. Preston handed Sarah the third Basher Bot's sword.

"OK, we'll get the stars back." Preston assured them. "You guys be ready to move when we get them. It's MORPHIN TIME!"

Meanwhile, up in the Warrior Dome, Cosmo was watching as his plan was unravelling.

"What is that fool DOING?" He screamed at him. "My instructions were clear! I wanted him to capture the Rangers and their Power Stars and then bring them here! He was meant to cut down their numbers so that Friday's broadcast would have been the end of them!"

"But how?" Wrench asked him.

"I'd have released ONE of them to battle one of my warriors!" Cosmo told him. "They'd have been decimated without their friends!"

"Don't you think the audience would have noticed only one Ranger in the battle?" Wrench asked him.

"Oh, I'd have got you to splice in some stock footage of the others." He said in an off-hand way. Wrench looked to him.

"Stock footage?" Wrench asked. "Don't you think people would notice that?"

"They never do! I use stock footage to pad broadcasts that run short all the time!" Cosmo answered. "I only have like one shot of Galvanax drawing his naginata, do you think fans say a thing about the fact they've seen that same shot over a hundred times?"

Wrench just shrugged.

"So, do you want to send down some more support?" Wrench asked.

"Send some Basher Bots down, and some Buzz-cams. If that stupid monkey's going to end up as a rug, I want it on camera at least." Cosmo told him. "I also want you to go down there."

"ME?" Wrench asked. Cosmo gave him that smile that always scared him.

"They're already down to half a team." Cosmo reminded him. "Let's see what those upgrades I paid for can do!"

Down at the site of the battle, Preston, Sarah, Calvin and Brody ran out, beginning to take care of the Basher Bots sent to help Phonepanzee. Preston, being the only one that could morph right now, went straight to help Hayley and Levi.

"SONIC BOOM!" Phonepanzee called out, sending them both flying once more. Levi rushed to their side, kneeling by them.

"Are you guys alright?" He asked.

"Does that monkey know any other attacks?" Levi complained. "He's spamming that thing worse than Guile in Streetfighter 2!"

"Man, I used to hate that guy!" Preston agreed. "Guys, the monster has the others' Power Stars!"

"He's got their Power Stars?" Hayley called out. Preston just nodded.

"We need to get that bag from him." Preston answered.

"I have an idea." Hayley told them. "You two keep him busy."

As Preston and Levi ran for the monster, using their weapons to block incoming attacks. Hayley put her Element Star into place.

"Ninja Element Star, Earth Strike!" She called out, swinging her Ninja Star. As Levi and Preston both fought with Phonepanzee, the ground opened up. Levi and Phonepanzee were forced to jump away from each other.

"Hayley, what the hell are you doing?" Levi asked her.

"Don't you get it? She's trying to trap him!" Preston surmised. "We have to try and keep him in one place so she can sink him!"

"Yeah, great!" Levi answered as another hole opened up. "We just have to hope she doesn't sink us while she's at it!"

"Thanks for letting me know the plan!" Phonepanzee cackled as he leapt out the way of other holes opening up in the ground. "This is almost too easy!"

Hayley smiled as she watched him hop around. She opened up a hole beneath her feet, at which she was swept into a network of tunnels she had linked up beneath the ground. She launched herself up from underneath as she saw him land on the edge of one of the other holes. Preston and Levi were attacking him, trying to force him down, meaning none of them noticed as she boosted straight up behind him, and with a quick slice of her ninja sword, cut the strings holding the bag to his waist. She flipped over Phonepanzee, landing on the ground a little way off as the holes all closed up.

"Surprise!" Hayley called out. "Missing something?"

"Hey! That's mine!" He complained.

"Yeah, if you pick someone's pocket, you don't get to whine when someone steals their property back!" Hayley answered as Calvin, Sarah and Brody finished up with their opponents and joined them. Hayley tossed them their Ninja Stars.

"I'm tired of that ape!" Brody called out as they morphed. "I say we put him down for good!"

"PHONEPANZEE!" Wrench called out as he arrived with more Basher Bots. "You bungling nitwit, how did you let them escape?"

"I didn't mean…AAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" He called out as Wrench cleaved him in two with his axe. The Rangers all stood and stared in disbelief at what they had seen. Wrench confronted them.

"Wrench?" She asked. "What happened to you?"

"He…he looks so much…"

"Shinier!" They all chorused together. Wrench looked to the Rangers.

"I've been upgraded!" Wrench told them. "I bet your ally Lord Drakkon had taken care of me, but now I'm more powerful and dangerous than ever!"

"Lord Drakkon?" Hayley asked. "Who the hell is Lord Drakkon?"

"Oh, don't try and deny he's one of yours, we saw him morph into a Ranger!" Wrench called out.

"Um…it's not an act." Preston chipped in. "We really do have no idea what you're talking about."

"I'm not even sure who this guy is!" Calvin admitted honestly.

"You…you…YOU'RE AS BAD AS THE PURPLE DINO RANGER!" Wrench screamed. Sarah just started laughing.

"He had this thing about Dr Morgan." She explained. "It turns out she didn't even know they had a rivalry! He lost a grudge match only he was fighting!"

"Oh man that is pathetic!" Hayley chuckled.

"Pathetic?" Wrench asked. "Do you call THIS pathetic?"

With that, missile ports opened in his back, and a storm of missiles launched out, arching over and exploding as they hit the ground. The Rangers all ended up on the ground, stunned and disorientated.

"OK, that is definitely new!" Sarah coughed.

"Let's see how pathetic you find me now!" Wrench called out as he rushed straight at them, twirling his axe.

In another part of town, over at Summer Cove Police Department, Constable Trevor Marx made his way into the squad room.

He made sure to greet everyone as he went past. From the civilian workers doing some of the clerical work to fellow officers, even some of the suspects that were sitting in handcuffs waiting to be processed. Trevor was a genuinely nice guy that never let the power of his job go to his head. Born and raised in Summer Cove, only leaving to go to college and the Police Academy, he was one of those guys that went into law enforcement for all the right reasons, to be a genuinely good influence in his community. He was always talking to people on his beat, only too happy to give directions and help people find lost pets etc. It was one of the reasons he was so loved throughout his community.

Hayley's mother had met him during a random traffic stop. It was a random check of vehicle road worthiness and while he had found her to have a tail light broken, he had told her he believed it to be a genuine oversight and gave her the opportunity to get it fixed without a fine. They had talked for a while and it wasn't long after that they were dating. Trevor broke a few hearts around the precinct when he married her.

He went into the squad room, pouring himself some hot water into a mug, before fetching a zip loc bag out of his pocket, with a tea bag and a slice of lemon in it. One of his colleagues came over, pouring himself some coffee.

"I swear to God Marx; how do you drink that shit?" He asked him, picking up a donut. Trevor just smirked.

"I don't do caffeine." He answered.

"Christ man, you don't smoke you don't eat donuts you don't drink coffee. What the hell DO you do?" He asked.

"Read and work out." Trevor told him.

"Whatever Marx." He said, going to sit down. Trevor just laughed as he stirred his tea. He knew he wasn't like a lot of his colleagues. The job was a tough one at times, even in cities that didn't get attacked by monsters on a weekly basis. People found their own ways of unwinding and relaxing from their shifts. Some of the guys played softball, some guys went for pizza, others would go to bars. For Trevor, his routine involved a long workout in the precinct gym and a browse with his tablet for some new novels to download.

"Marx, are you ready?" The Captain asked.

"Sorry Cap." Trevor said as he sat down.

"Alright, let's get this done fast, none of us want to be here too long." The Captain said. "Spiers and Murdoch, you're on the south side, keep an eye out for kids with spray cans, we've had some trouble with graffiti around the stadium. Edwards, Teacher, you're on traffic. Ellis, Reid maintain a presence at the mall. We've got the sales starting soon and you know how they can get. I want regular updates and I want to hear good things, the press has had a LOT of good reason to report bad stuff about our fellow cops lately, let's see if we can't give them some good stories to print."

"Captain." Trevor said, putting up his hand. "You haven't given me an assignment."

"That's because we've got something special for you." The Captain told him, throwing him a file. "You might have been City Hall's 'Heart of the PD' last year, but it looks like not everyone likes you. You get to puppy-walk a new recruit."

"I do?" Trevor asked, opening the file and looking at it.

"He's been instructed to meet you at the garage." The Captain told him. "Good luck Marx."

"I won't let you down Captain!" Trevor said with a huge smile. As he got up, taking a sip of his tea, one of the other officers just stared at him.

"Marx, you are probably the only person I know who could still be smiling when he's been assigned to wet-nurse a probie." He commented. Trevor just shrugged.

"Hey, we were all there, once right?" He asked, before heading out to go down to the garage.

Back at the school, the Rangers were locked in battle with Wrench, who was really taking them to task. He grabbed Preston around the throat with one hand, while he threw his axe at Brody, knocking him down. He threw Brody through the air, before recalling his hand. Hayley and Calvin opened fire with their Ninja Blasters, only to find their blasts reflecting off Wrench's hide, heading off in random directions forcing them do duck.

"I'm so sorry guys!" Hayley shrieked. "I thought that shiny stuff was just for show!"

"He is really kicking our butts!" Preston coughed. "Was he like this the last time?"

"No, it looks like he really wasn't lying about those upgrades!" Sarah called out. They all watched as his chest plate opened up, and what looked like a Gatling gun came out. "Uh…duck!"

The Rangers all dived for cover as it started spinning and laser blasts fired all over the place. Wrench only stopped as his communications link kicked in.

"Wrench? Wrench, what's going on?" Cosmo asked him.

"Phonepanzee fumbled it." Wrench told him. "I dealt with him."

"Fine, then come back to the ship." Cosmo told him. "I've got plenty to use on the show this week."

"Are you sure?" Wrench asked.

"Come back Wrench!" Cosmo called out. Wrench just closed up his chest cavity and pointed at Sarah.

"You got lucky this time!" He answered as he disappeared. The Rangers all came together.

"OK, now that…that was a close one." Calvin stated.

"You can say that again." Hayley replied. "If we hadn't…"

"It's…it's not important." Brody cut them off. "A good ninja never questions a win, he just takes a win when he gets it."

"So, I guess…show's over…?"

"Not…not now." Brody answered, shaking his head. "Now, let's head back to the base. I could use a paracetamol. My wrist really hurts now."

"It's not just me, right?" Calvin asked as they de-morphed and walked back towards the school. "It is a little creepy when he says stuff like that without you know, groaning or anything right?"


	38. Learning the Ropes

Trevor made his way down into the parking garage, going to the desk. The officer there handed him the pad to sign for the keys to a cruiser.

"You know the drill Marx." He stated, giving the pad to Trevor. Trevor signed his name with his finger, before pressing his thumb to a plate to scan it. "Alright, you've got car 49 today. Here are the keys."

"Hey, if it's got four wheels and air conditioning we're good to go." Trevor answered with a smile. "You seen a rookie around here looking lost?"

"No, but I saw a really stiff kid with a stick up his ass who insisted he know which car you were getting so he could wait by the car." The officer replied. "He's got that new rookie that's out to change the world and teach us all how to do our job smell on him. Do me a favour and break him in hard."

"Is that what your puppy-walker did?" Trevor asked.

"She sent me home in tears every night for a year." He responded.

"You know, that explains a lot." Trevor teased him. "Thanks Rick."

He went into the garage and started to look for his car. It was pretty easy to find, not just because it was in a numbered parking bay, but because there was indeed a rookie standing right next to it. The rookie stood bolt upright as Trevor clicked the key fob unlocking the car. He saluted as Trevor approached, something that amused him a little. The kid really was straight out of the academy!

"Constable Marx." The rookie greeted him.

"Trevor." Trevor corrected him, inspecting the kid closely. He was dressed in full uniform, right down to the jacket he was issued. Another mark of someone that was right out of the academy. It wasn't actually a requirement that they wear the full uniform on duty, they only had to wear the shirt, pants and their badge so they could be identified as police officers. In California heat, the kid had to be melting in the jacket. "At ease."

The cadet stood with his hands behind his back and his feet apart, but still looked incredibly stiff. Trevor just sighed.

"You know you're not going to be very comfortable with that jacket on in this weather." Trevor told him. "Put it in the trunk."

The rookie did as he was told, while Trevor looked at his file.

"Alright, so, constable Skullovich…"

"Spike." The rookie corrected him. Trevor just shook his head.

"Yeah, I'm not calling you that." He answered. "You might want to consider changing that, it does sound kind of gang-member."

"It's my name." Spike replied.

"Yeah, I know I can see it right here." Trevor told him. "Top of your class, excellent scores in your physicals and procedurals, college qualifications in forensics and crime scene analysis…that's all pretty impressive kid."

"I did my best sir." Spike stated. Trevor just laughed.

"You don't have to call me sir, Trevor will be fine." He reminded him. "And you can take pride in your accomplishments, I don't mind a humble-brag."

"Permission to speak freely." Spike stated.

"Well you don't really NEED permission but go ahead." Trevor answered him.

"I don't want to brag because I know that's only an invitation for you to remind me that all my accomplishments up until now mean nothing." Spike answered. "I'm well aware of the fact that now I'm going to be hazed and broken down until you can mould me in the way this department works."

"I think you might have been watching too many movies." Trevor answered.

"Actually, my mom was a cop too." Spike informed him. "She's already told me what to expect."

"Come on." Trevor said as he went to the driver's side. "I'll show you some of the sights in the precinct."

With that, he got in the car and started it up, while Spike got in the other side. He looked to him.

"Spike huh?" He asked. "You must have really interesting parents."

"You have no idea." Spike replied.

Back at the High School, the Rangers had all gathered in the Command Centre to debrief after their battle. They had relayed everything that had happened to Mick, who listened on with interest. He just nodded as he listened.

"That was a really close one." Brody commented. "Phonepanzee almost had us where he wanted us."

"Yeah, I can't believe he fooled us so easily." Sarah surmised.

"I can't believe we were so quick to believe his lies." Calvin said. The room fell silent as he said this. It was a huge elephant in the room, one that while it was playing on all of their minds, it was one that none of them had brought up until now.

"Hey, we're ninjas, we know that misdirection is a really powerful tool." Levi stated. "That monster…"

"It would never have worked if we didn't believe what he said in the first place!" Calvin stated. "I know a lot's been going on this week and I know we've been really competitive and there's been a lot of teasing and taunting, but we've all been doing this a long time now. I've saved every person in this room at least once, and I know everyone in here has done the same to me."

"He's…he's right." Preston said sadly. "Before we started this, I was just the kid that did magic tricks that didn't even work half the time and everyone made fun of for wearing a tuxedo to school. Since all this began, you guys have been…"

"Family." Sarah said. "There's no way we can do all this and just be friends right?"

"The only lies I've ever told any of you were because I genuinely didn't know the answer." Levi admitted. "I wouldn't even know that I was someone else before I was Levi if it wasn't for all of you."

"We've been through way too much together to think any of us would do anything to intentionally hurt any of the others." Calvin said, a couple of tears forming in his eyes. "I trust every one of you with my life every single day. I could trust you guys with anything!"

He got up and composed himself as he looked to Hayley and Preston.

"I'm really sorry you guys." Calvin began. "I know as much as you wanted to win, I should never have thought you'd put that hot sauce on the cupcakes."

"Yeah, I…can't believe I'd have thought you could do that either." Sarah agreed. "I got so caught up in everything…"

With that, they all came together in the middle of the room, hugging tightly. Hayley looked to Calvin and Sarah.

"We're sorry too." Hayley answered. "We know you'd never have started that food fight."

"I don't know who did, but there were at least a hundred kids in that canteen. Any one of them could have done it." Preston admitted. "And hell, they're kids, we all know there are a million different reasons kids would do something like that."

"A lot of kids would have done it just because they thought it was funny." Brody stated.

"Well, it…was kind of funny when you look back." Sarah laughed a little as she wiped away an errant tear. "I had to try so hard not to laugh when I saw that cake all over your face Calvin."

"And you know what Hayls, you were right, your mom's cake is so much better than her cupcakes." Calvin chuckled.

"Well with all that hot sauce on them, it wouldn't be hard." Hayley laughed.

"I think the best thing we can all do is take that as a lesson." Brody stated. "No matter how bad things get, the one thing we can always rely on is each other."

"Agreed." Mick told them. "We also really lucked out that Wrench was called back."

"We really did." Sarah agreed. "I'm telling you, he didn't have anything like that bag of tricks back in Amber Beach."

"Yeah, he said he got upgraded after some guy named Lord Drakkon attacked him." Calvin recalled. "Mick, is that someone you've heard of?"

"It's not anyone I'm familiar with." He answered.

"Wrench seemed to think he was a Ranger." Hayley reminded them. "It might be worth asking the Ranger Underground if they know anything."

"Yeah, we should totally do that. If there's another ally out there, it might be worth reaching out to him." Brody answered. Calvin and Hayley looked to each other as the rest of the team started to feel more than a little surplus to requirements in the room.

"Um…I just have to…um…"

"Yeah, we had that thing right Sarah?" Preston asked.

"Levi, I was having a little trouble with my music homework." Brody continued.

"Yeah, I'll just help you with that." Levi said. Mick and Redbot just looked back as they stared at them.

"Oh, we're not going to bother thinking of excuses, we're just going to go!" Mick told them as he and Redbot slipped out the back. Calvin took Hayley's hands in his as they left, looking into her eyes.

"Are we good?" Hayley asked him. "I…I know I can get a little carried away when I get competitive…"

"Oh, it's fine, we're good." Calvin assured her. "But I was thinking, you should be President."

"Really?" She asked him.

"Hey, I can admit it, I can be stubborn too. I didn't really want it in the first place." He replied.

"I did kind of push you into it." Hayley conceded. "You had already apologised for not picking me up. I was the one that wouldn't let it go."

"But I let you down…"

"And I let you down by not accepting your apology and moving on. It's not like you did anything that really hurt me or anything." Hayley told him. "Besides, I was more than a little childish about it all. I guess maybe I'm not as grown-up as I like to think. Maybe I'm not yet ready to be a leader."

"Hey, I know I have a lot of growing up to do." Calvin answered. "But you'd be a great President."

"No, I think I'd do good things as President, but I'm not so sure I'm ready for anything like that yet. Maybe I have some growing up to do before I try and tell other people how they should live." She suggested.

"So, what are we going to do?" He asked her. She just smiled. "If you don't want to run and I don't want to run, what are we going to tell Hastings?"

"Oh, we can worry about that later." She said with a smile. "Right now, there's only one thing I want to do."

With that, they both came together and kissed passionately, taking full advantage of the rare moment of privacy.

Elsewhere, Trevor was taking his new partner around some of the main sites in their local area. He could see that he was attentive, and he would take down notes as Trevor explained where they were. He didn't want to push a rookie too hard on his first day, and he knew that he would see plenty of action soon enough.

"So, tell me Skullovitch…"

"Spike." Spike told him.

"Yeah, still not calling you that." Trevor told him flatly. "How do you expect me to get people to open up to us when I'm asking about a drug den if you sound like one of their guys."

"I think I'd remind you that Summer Cove has the lowest drug crime statistics in the entire state." Spike shot back, looking to him. "I do my research."

"It sounds like it." Trevor said. "Which makes my original question an even bigger one. Why are you here in Summer Cove? With your grades you could have pretty much chosen your first assignment. Why did you pick monster central?"

"Because I've lived it before. I was in Panorama." Spike told him. "I was told for my probationary period I need to go somewhere other than my home so that old familiarities don't prejudice any of my cases, so I figured why not go where I can do the most good?"

"So, you're a crusader, right? Want to fight the good fight huh?" Trevor asked.

"Is that a bad thing?" Spike asked him. The car rounded a corner coming past some basketball courts inside some cages. Trevor pulled up.

"That depends." Trevor told him, getting out of the car. Spike got out with him.

"What are you doing?" Spike called out as Trevor made his way towards the cages.

"I'm going to teach you your first lesson about real police work!" Trevor stated, throwing open the gate and striding in. The guys playing there noticed as he arrived and stopped playing.

"HEY! TY!" He called out aggressively, striding up to the largest of them as he picked up the ball. Spike gulped as he followed him on, keeping an eye on the others. Trevor stood chest-to-chest with the man he had addressed, his jaw clenching. "What did I tell you about coming around playing here?"

Spike didn't like the look of this at all. He approached cautiously. He knew he would have to have Trevor's back if things kicked off, but he was also wondering if he'd end up having to report it. Trevor and the other guy glared at each other for a moment, before Trevor snatched the ball from him and dribbling it a couple of times, jumped into the air and hit a perfect dunk right on the rim. He turned back towards Ty and approached him, shaking his hand and giving him a hug.

"You don't start playing until I get here!" He concluded. "Skullovitch, come and meet Ty! He's one of the local community leaders around here. Guys, I want you to meet Skullovitch, the new guy I need to show around."

"You get to learn from Trevor?" Ty asked, shaking Spike's hand in a grip so hard he almost broke his hand. "You got lucky kid. Trevor here is the best cop in the city!"

"Say, Skullovitch do you play?" Trevor asked him as he took off his shirt. Spike just looked stunned.

"Aren't…aren't we meant to be on duty?" Spike asked him.

"It's called community policing Skullovitch." Trevor answered with a smile. "People are a lot more receptive to our presence if we're seen as friends, and around here, the best way to get respect is with a good jump-shot."

"Well, I guess we do have radios." Spike answered, taking off his shirt. Trevor just slapped him on the shoulder.

"Alright, you guys can have the new kid." Trevor told them. "Come on Ty, let's show him how we play ball around here!"

The following morning, Al headed out to get a few groceries and pick up some of his industry magazines. While he no longer involved himself in investments, the majority of the American economy did rely almost entirely on the stock exchange, and so he needed to keep up with all the latest developments.

He did enjoy getting to work from home now, it meant that now he had a lot more opportunity to pick his own hours and if he felt like going for a little stroll to break up the day and pick up some lemonade and a few magazines, he didn't need to worry about speaking to a supervisor to clear it.

He walked into his local shop and picked up a basket.

"Good morning Richard." He greeted the manager. "How are things?"

"A lot better now you've found that new power company for me." He said with a smile. "I swear, I didn't know how badly I was getting ripped off!"

"Always shop around my friend!" Al answered.

"I just hope YOU don't start shopping around." He chuckled.

"Not likely." Al answered. "You're the only one within ten blocks that stocks my…"

His words tailed off as he found the magazines.

"…magazines." Al sighed.

"Is there a problem?" Richard asked him, coming over. Al showed him the cover of one of his magazines.

"Who can you trust your money to?" He asked. "Yaxley fraudster opens new business?"

Al started looking through the other magazines and saw that they all had similar articles.

"The chainsaw of Yaxley, the man who fleeced the Vets, the Panorama Predator?" Richard asked, looking to Al. "I…I don't read these magazines, I had no idea, if I had I'd never have stocked them and called you right away…"

"It's fine." Al said coldly, looking around and seeing the magazines in a couple of other people's baskets. "It's too late, the damage is already done."

"Please, if I knew…If I knew who did this…"

"You don't need to worry, I already know who did!" Al answered, offering him the money for the magazines. Richard just waved him off.

"No, please." Richard insisted.

"Thank you." Al said as he stormed him out.

"What are you going to do?" Richard called after him.

"I'm going to try and save my business!" Al yelled back at him.


	39. The Election Result

Thursday morning at Summer Cove High School on election week was normally a much busier and more active time, being the last chance the candidates really had to make an impression on the student body. However, it was a much quieter and more peaceful time this time around.

Sarah and Preston walked into the school, holding hands as they laughed and joked. Calvin and Hayley were walking holding each other.

"Aw, isn't that nice to see!" Hayley said.

"Yeah, we were just talking, we can't believe how out of hand we let everything get." Sarah chuckled.

"I swear, I don't know what came over us." Preston agreed. "I thought democracy was meant to be all civilised and the peak of humanity and all that junk."

"Yeah, politics and civility." Hayley commented. "We're just glad all this didn't cause you two any problems."

"I'm glad too." Brody said as he arrived. "So, I guess the rumours are true. You two dropped out."

"You did?" Sarah asked, looking to them. Hayley and Calvin just looked to each other and nodded.

"There's all the time in the world for us to worry about politics." Hayley answered. "In the meantime, we figured it's more important we focus on the kind of people we want to be."

"Now that, THAT is a really good thing to hear." Victor said, coming over slow-clapping. "I mean, the cut and thrust of the political arena isn't for everyone now is it? I guess some people just can't handle the slings and arrows isn't that right Monty?"

"It takes a big person to rise above the mud-slinging." Monty replied in a snorting laugh. "Or should we say cake-slinging."

"Alright, that's enough victor." Calvin answered. "We're not running anymore."

"Oh, I know, Principal Hastings told me this morning." Victor told them.

"Principal Hastings told you?" Preston asked. "Why would she…?"

"Wait a minute, you…you were running for re-election!" Sarah recalled. It hadn't really occurred to any of them, they were much too focused on their suspicion of each other and how they were going to try to out-manoeuvre each other that they hadn't even thought about who else was on the ballot. Victor hadn't made any obvious moves, hadn't made any posters or anything, hell he hadn't so much as spoken to a single potential voter as far as any of them knew. "Hayley and Calvin dropping out means…"

"I'm now running unopposed!" Victor stated, taking a poster from Monty and slapping it up on the wall. "I guess you were all having way too much fun pouring habanero blast over each other's sweet little bribes to notice."

"We never knew what the brand of sauce was used." Brody said, furrowing his brows.

"YOU DID IT!" Sarah yelled, pointing at Victor. He just flashed his bright smile at her and winked.

"Have fun proving that." He replied, before he and Victor walked away. The five Rangers all watched him go, looking completely stunned.

"OH…MY…GOD!" Hayley gasped.

"Did we all just get played by Victor Vincent?" Calvin asked.

"I can't believe it; how could we not have seen this coming?" Preston asked.

"You were all too busy taking pot-shots at each other none of you noticed Victor standing on the side-lines waiting for you all to take each other out." Brody realised. "Who wants to bet that if you hadn't dropped out, something else would have happened and you'd both have been disqualified?"

"This is embarrassing." Calvin grumbled. "How could five ninjas have been out-ninja'd by Victor Vincent?"

They all stood silently for a moment.

"It's just as well we didn't want to win after all, right?" Hayley asked. The others were all VERY quick to agree and brush the very embarrassing incident under the rug as the first bell rang.

Over at the Thompson House, Ellie had come home very quickly after a furious call from her husband. She'd had a job interview with a local mobile phone store as tech support, but she had to abandon it when she heard Al ranting on the phone. She had to get home, knowing that he was clearly so upset.

It didn't take long for her to figure out why he was so angry. He had brought the magazines home with him so that she could see the articles that had been written. It was in most of the local industry magazines and by now, she had to be sure, been read by hundreds if not thousands of people across the city.

Al was stomping around the living room behind her, with the worst of the articles in his hand. Ellie just sat at the table staring at the others.

"Maybe…maybe it's not that bad?" She asked him.

"Not that bad?" Al yelled angrily. He looked to the article and started reading. "In a move that makes works of fiction like 'Wall Street' look positively amateur in scale, Thompson perpetrated the largest scale fraud in State history! Losing millions in pension funds, one victim was quoted as saying 'With their callous and remorseless approach to the life savings of their clients, these men made Jordan Belfort, the infamous Wolf of Wall Street, look like a labradoodle!' What part of that sounds not that bad Ellie?"

"OK, so it's bad, it's REALLY bad, but we've been through bad before." She told him. "Maybe…maybe you can get the article pulled?"

"How Ellie? If I call and ask them to stop printing it just looks like confirmation!" Al told her. "Not to mention there's a little factor in libel laws that strictly speaking it's not libel if what they're saying actually happened!"

"Alright Al, it's a problem, I get it, but don't attack me!" Ellie snapped back at him. Al took a deep breath. He had always known that the danger was there that his past would catch up to him. The court was sealed when he was prosecuted, but the fact he was employed by the firm that was taken down was a matter of public record, and if anyone looked into the Yaxley scam deeply enough, then it wasn't beyond the possibility they'd put two and two together. He regretted snapping at his wife. Ellie had been the foundation he had built his whole life on and had already stuck by him through much more than he ever had a right to expect her to.

"I'm sorry Ellie." Al sighed, putting his hand on her shoulder. "It's just…I know I've done a lot of horrible things in my life, but now that I'm actually doing something good, these guys just want to come and yank that all away from me."

"Al, we've been through bad times before." She told him, standing up and putting her hands either side of his face, pulling him in and kissing him softly. "We'll think of something."

"More like YOU'LL think of something." Al replied hopefully. "You were always much better at fixing things than I was."

Just then, Al's cell phone rang. Al answered it.

"Who is this?" He asked.

"Mr Thompson! This is Mr Russel, I just wanted to call and see how you are today." He began. Al noticeably tensed up, causing Ellie to look at him in concern as he pushed away from her.

"You've got some nerve…"

"I was given one of your business cards and thought I'd call for a little chat." He stated. "I was wondering if you'd noticed all the press you've been getting lately."

"This is your doing?" Al asked him.

"Well, it was such a good story I felt that a lot of people, including your clients, might just like to hear about it." Mr Russel answered. "Now, I was wondering if you had reconsidered our business proposal. I mean, we could have you still walking away from this with something in your pocket other than your leg, but of course the value of your business will be considerably less…"

"You're shaking me down?" Al roared. "Listen Russel, I will make this perfectly clear! I would sooner burn this whole thing to the ground than give ANYTHING to you and your bunch of gangster-wannabe scumbags! SO, YOU CAN TAKE YOUR OFFER AND SHOVE IT UP…"

"I…think what my husband means is we need to discuss it and think about it." Ellie said, snatching the phone from him. "Why don't you come around tomorrow at lunchtime? Say around one o'clock?"

"Well, I'm pleased one of you is using your head." Russel answered cockily. "We'll be over around then."

"We'll see you then." Russel answered. "Perhaps we'll bring over a bottle to celebrate?"

"That would be lovely." Ellie answered as she hung up. Al looked like he was ready to explode.

"Ellie, did you just…?"

"Al, go out and buy some meat." She told him. Al just looked puzzled.

"Meat?" He asked.

"Yes, steaks, burgers, sausages, that kind of thing." She told him. "Where's your client list?"

"It's here." Al told her, picking up a document. "Ellie, you just invited those vultures…"

"Al, you should know me better than that by now." She said with a smile. "Oh, you'll want to get plenty of coleslaw and potato salad too."

"Meat, coleslaw, potato salad?" He asked. "You're throwing them a barbecue?"

"Something like that." She said with a smile. "Trust me!"

Up on the Warrior Dome, Cosmo Royale was in his office, going over the footage from the Phonepanzee fight. He had originally intended for him to take down the Rangers, get all of them in his clutches, and then release one of them to do battle. He knew that Phonepanzee's skill set didn't exactly lend itself well to exciting battles, but it was most certainly useful. If it wasn't for the Rangers figuring out what was going on too early, he was certain he'd have had all of them in his clutches.

The footage was enough to splice together into a usable broadcast. He hated having to do a clip show, it always felt like a lazy and unnecessary practice. Clip shows were common in television at once time due to the need to get audiences caught up on what had happened previously on episodes they may have missed, but that hadn't been the case for a long time. Between the increase in technology such as streaming services and recording technology, not to mention multiple channels meaning re-runs were now very common, there was really no need for people to miss out on episodes. Now television shows tended to put in clip shows as a cheap show to fill a broadcasting slot without spending much money, but it did feel very cheap and tacky in the modern era. All he could hope was that his production crew could clean up the footage enough to prevent it being obvious the footage was not a live feed.

Wrench came into the office as Cosmo was going over the footage, splicing bits and pieces here and there to try and find the best angles and continuity to make it look a lot more like a single shot than a selection of single battles.

"You wanted to see me sir?" Wrench asked.

"Yes, of course Wrench, please come in, take a seat." Cosmo told him. "I just wanted your opinion on this footage."

"Phonepanzee definitely was a disappointment." Wrench told him. "We got some good shots, but he was definitely not much of a brawler."

"No, no he wasn't, was he?" Cosmo asked. "What do you project for this broadcast?"

"Last week we under-performed so there's going to be a reduced interest to begin with." Wrench answered. "The Rangers being captured could be a draw if we leak some of that 'accidentally' in the promotional reels. Maybe we'll get away with breaking even, perhaps a one or two-point bump?"

"Well, I would agree with that, except for this." Cosmo said, bringing up footage of Wrench as he battled the Rangers. Wrench did look impressive, but that quickly faded as he saw where this was potentially going.

"Yeah…I caught them by surprise, I'm sure they've already got some clever ideas…"

"Wrench, don't sell yourself short my boy! Your technology and tenacity have brought you far on this ship! Why, I remember it was only a few months ago you were a mere intern? Now…now you're a real mover and shaker up here!" Cosmo complimented him. "Not to mention your history with the Pink Ranger is absolute dynamite from a promotion standpoint! One look at this footage and everyone will want to see you in action again!"

"But, but I'm incredibly valuable! I have lots of ideas…"

"You've shown there's so much more to you than I could ever have dreamed Wrench." Cosmo said with a wicked smile. "Congratulations, next week, you're the star of the show!"

The following morning, the kids went to school to conclude the election of their new President. The Rangers really hadn't seen the point of trying to report Victor for his actions in sabotaging their campaigns. For one thing, strictly speaking there was no evidence that he had anything to do with the hot sauce. They were pretty sure that he would have gotten rid of the bottles long before now, and as for the food fight itself, there really wasn't any way to tell who threw the first cake. The surveillance at the school wasn't exactly extensive, catching only wide angles.

The morning classes had gone by pretty quickly and the ballot boxes had been open from first thing in the morning right through to the end of morning break. By the time lunch break came around, the Rangers were pretty much done with the whole thing.

"I don't know why they're even counting the votes." Calvin commented. "Everyone knows now that Victor's the only name left on the ballot."

"I still can't believe he played us all." Brody grumbled. "I don't know what's worse, the fact that he managed it or the fact we can't do anything about it."

"Yeah, I mean look at him there, dressed up for his inauguration." Hayley replied, gesturing to where Victor was standing in a white tuxedo, with Monty combing his hair and straightening out his bow tie. Victor had a speech prepared that he seemed to be rehearsing as Monty followed him around, getting him ready. "I'd just love to see the smug smile wiped off his face."

"You know we are already out of the race." Calvin reminded them. "It's not like there'd be much come back on us if we did something to make things a little more interesting."

"No, we don't want to sink to that level." Hayley sighed. "You know, as good as it would feel."

"Look, here comes Principal Hastings." Brody said as Hastings, Mrs Finch, Mick and Levi all approached the stage. The whole thing did seem more than a little pointless since Victor was running unopposed, but they did always have to give the new President their inauguration.

"Think anyone would notice if we just left?" Preston asked. "I really don't want to watch this."

"Now, we can't be bad losers." Hayley said, forcing a smile. "We'll just have to grin and bear it."

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have an announcement to make, and I just wanted to take a moment to talk to you while the last of the votes are being counted and verified about this rather unusual race." Principal Hastings began.

"Why are they even counting?" Calvin complained. "Victor would win even if he only voted for himself."

"As you know candidates Calvin Maxwell and Hayley Foster have both opted not to stand for the position of President after all." Principal Hastings continued. "I know they've both put forward rather spirited and enthusiastic campaigns, but they have both said to me that they feel they aren't ready for the responsibility of an elected office, and frankly that is one of the most mature and grown-up things I have ever heard. Being able to admit one's failings is something a lot of people lack and I would like to applaud them both for valuing what they both feel is in the best interests of the school as opposed to their own ego."

"Yeah, it's just a shame it left us with Victor as President." Sarah muttered as the students applauded them. Principal Hastings was handed an envelope by Levi.

"So, without further ado, I'd like to welcome the candidates…um…I mean…candidate to the stage." She stated, at which Victor bounded onto the stage and took on a victorious pose. The Rangers all rolled their eyes. Principal Hastings opened the envelope and unfurled the paper, reading the results. "Victor Vincent…two."

"Two hundred? Oh, thank you one and all!" Victor said gleefully into the microphone. "I thank you all for your faith in…"

"No Victor…that's um…two." Levi corrected him. "Two votes in total."

"Really? Only two people voted for me?" Victor asked. "That's absurd! Surely…"

"Victor, it really doesn't take long to count to two." Mrs Finch said to him.

"Then why did it take so long for the results to come in?" Victor asked them. "What were you counting?"

"If you'd have let me finish Victor, I'd have told you!" Principal Hastings replied, looking back to the paper. "Ladies and Gentlemen, in an unprecedented result, there has been a write-in candidate."

"Write-in?" Brody asked, looking to the others. "Is that even a thing?"

"It's…it's in the rules." Hayley said, checking her handbook as the others did the same.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, with an overwhelming write-in majority of the electorate, with over 98 percent of the vote, your new President is…" She said, before looking off stage. "Montgomery Williams!"

Monty just looked like he had been slapped across the face as he heard this. He could see Victor staring at him.

"I…I…I didn't…I would never have…Victor, you have to believe…"

"Monty the Bully Slayer!" Someone called out from the crowd. A chant started up for Monty as he stood, not knowing what to do. He continued to stare at Victor, worried as to what he was going to say or do. Victor grabbed Monty and hauled him onto the stage, before hugging him tightly.

"You heard them Monty." He said with a bright smile. "The people have spoken!"

"But I…I didn't…WHOA!" He said as Victor hoisted him up onto his shoulders, parading him around as the rest of the students started to chant his name.

"Way to go Monty!" Sarah called out as the team applauded. Monty's face split into a bright smile as he threw his hands into the air. It was an election that no one was likely to forget, least of all Monty!


	40. New Leadership

Marcus was more than a little twitchy on the car ride over to Al's place. The other investors had insisted on a limo to go to the Thompson house, all in the name of show. They were sitting in the back, smiling, joking and popping open thousand-dollar bottles of champagne like they were already celebrating.

Marcus couldn't help thinking that only a short time ago, he'd probably have been joining them. The men were toasting and celebrating a concerted effort to ruin a man's life, culminating in the move to crush a fledgling business into a nominal low-ball sale. Marcus had pulled similar moves several times in his career, and if he was honest, he had never lost a second's sleep over doing so. He never gave a second thought to home owners and small businesses he strong-armed out to make his larger developments. For some reason though, with Al the whole thing wasn't just a road-block. Now that speed-bump had a face and a name. Al wasn't exactly a friend, but he definitely knew and respected him. Seeing the way, he took a hit to protect his daughter, he had felt guilty enough to pay for all his medical expenses, regardless of the fact he ultimately decided not to return to work for him.

"I can't believe we're going to fleece the Yaxley Chainsaw!" Mr Popov laughed. "I swear, I heard what he pulled for years and he was a legend! Now we're going to buy his business out from him for pennies on the dollar!"

"I love how he had to get his wife to answer for him." Mr Russel laughed. "I've been married four times and not one of them ever told me what to do."

"Well, I'm sure we'll all get to enjoy his hospitality as he grovels for an extra few dollars." Mr Windsor bragged as he took a sip of his champagne. The limo suddenly came to a halt. "This can't be right surely."

"Sir, I can't go any further." The driver said through the intercom.

"What do you mean you can't go any further?" Mr Windsor asked.

"There are too many people sir." He answered.

"People?" Mr Yoshida asked as he opened the door. The investors all got out of the car to see what the problem was. As the doors opened, they could hear music, and as they got out, they couldn't believe what they saw.

"What in the world?" Mr Russel asked. Marcus just smiled.

The street was filled with people, all milling around, wandering back and forth. Some of them were talking, others were dancing, and a lot of them were eating. The distinct smell of barbecue drifted throughout the street.

"What's going on? What the hell kind of game is this?" Mr Windsor asked. He approached a guy walking with a burger in one hand and a red solo cup in the other. "You there, what's happening?"

"Oh, you mean the street party?" He asked. "Yeah, it's some promotional thing that my financial advisor organised."

"Your financial advisor?" Russel asked. "Where is he?"

"He's around here somewhere, probably over by the grill that's the last place I saw him." He answered. "He was with some news lady."

"News?" Mr Yoshida asked him.

"Yeah, you know that red-head from the cable access?" He asked. "Or was it the one from the local station? I can't remember, but she was definitely hot I remember that much!"

"Where IS he?" Mr Popov asked again. The man just pointed towards the Thompson house.

"Somewhere that way." He answered. They all trudged through the crowd, having to push their way through the throng of people. By the time they got to Al's front lawn, they found that there were a couple of people with video cameras surrounding him, and one or two with microphones talking to him.

"Oh, hello there! I'm so glad you accepted our invitation!" Ellie said as she came over with a tray full of red solo cups. "Would you like some of my home-made fruit punch? It seems to be almost as much of a hit as the peppered steak kebabs and that's really saying something!"

"Mrs Thompson, you invited…"

"HEY! AL! Look who turned up!" Ellie called over to him, interrupting his interview. Al smiled as he waved them over.

"Now, this is an unexpected surprise! I'm sure these fine gentlemen need no introduction!" Al said as he gestured them over. With news crews around the investors didn't know what else to do other than come across. "Please, please help yourself to food and drink! There's plenty for everyone."

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is an unexpected pleasure, we have with us Summer Cove's most prominent citizen Marcus Tien! Mr Tien, you came to support Mr Thompson?"

"Well, uh…"

"He was just telling us his fascinating story of how he went from one of the state's most prolific fraudsters to starting his own business to work for the good of hard-working citizens." She told him. "Seeing Summer Cove's most celebrated business leader supporting this incredible story of redemption is really impressive!"

The investors all looked stunned and stared around each other. They couldn't believe that Al had brought the press down here. They had hoped that the attack in the magazines would damage his reputation and force him to sell up and disappear, but here, it looked like he had instead steered into the skid. He didn't try to deny what he did, he wasn't trying to hide his past. Instead, he was painting himself as a redemption story. He was a convicted felon that was using his second chance to do some good in the world.

"Well, as a self-made man, I know how admirable it is when someone picks themselves up and works hard to provide for their family. When they become a business owner and seek to make changes in the community they love." Marcus replied. "If that is what a man chooses to do with their second chance, how could I possibly be against that?

"Marcus." Mr Windsor whispered, trying to escort him away from the cameras. Al saw this and instead brought attention towards them, grabbing a plate.

"Gentlemen, please try the chicken satay! It is absolutely fantastic!" Al told them. "None of you are allergic to peanuts, are you?"

"Well, there you have it ladies and gentlemen, proof positive that rehabilitation does work. Mr Thompson, we wish you well." The reporter began her sign-off. "This is Roberta Cleaver, Channel Four, signing off. Thank you again Mr Thompson."

As the reporters left, Al looked to the investors.

"So, where are we on the chicken satay?" Al asked. Mr Windsor swiped the plate from Al's hand. "You know, people might have wanted to eat that."

"You…you think this changes ANYTHING?" Russel asked him.

"I don't know, my clients still seem to have confidence in me." Al stated, panning his hand around all the people in the street.

"Not to mention we just got a personal endorsement on television from some of Summer Cove's most prominent captains of business." Ellie reminded them. "Thank you for attending this promotional event by the way."

"You think all this matters?" Russel roared, beginning to make a scene. "This man is a criminal!"

"So?" One of the guests asked.

"You people can't trust this man with your money!" He yelled.

"Dude, who do you think we are?" One of the other guests asked. "Do you think any other financial advisor gives a shit about us? We're priced right out of the market!"

"Oh, and FYI, he told all of us exactly what happened before." Another pitched in, pulling out his cell phone. "Not to mention Google is a thing you know."

"I made a commitment to ensure I was transparent with my clients." Al told them. "Not to mention I have nothing to do with investments, I just help people navigate all the little loopholes and red tape that keeps them from what they're entitled to."

Marcus just started laughing as he heard this. Mr Windsor glared at him, but he gestured to the others and storming off.

"Thanks again for the endorsement!" Ellie called after them. Marcus just came over to Al, laughing as he did so.

"Well, I honestly didn't see this one coming. I'm impressed." Marcus said in a genuinely congratulatory way.

"What can I say Marcus? The only thing financial high-fliers hate more than losing, is cameras in their face when they're trying to play dirty." Al said sagely. "I just needed my gorgeous wife here to remind me that I played that game well."

"Frankly, I do not mind losing this battle at all." Marcus answered, offering his hand. "Well played Mr Thompson. Now, do you by any chance have any of those peppered steak kebabs I was hearing about?"

"Right this way Marcus." Ellie said, guiding him to the refreshments.

In the limo meanwhile, the others assembled, having realised how hard they had been played. They had all expected Al to be so cautious and wary of the press after their hatchet job that none of them predicted he would use them against them.

"That son of a bitch!" Russel screamed. "He played us!"

"We should have crushed him like…"

"What? With half the local TV stations pointing cameras right at us?" Russel interrupted Mr Popov. "The headline 'Billionaires crush businessman attempting to rehabilitate at expense of hard working men and women' would tank our stock prices!"

"Now instead, he has us on camera at his promotional event." Mr Windsor grumbled. Mr Yoshida got onto the phone.

"Well, he's not the only one that can ruin a good day." He stated. "Police please, I'd like to report an unlicensed street party."

Over at the High School, the news of Monty's election was still the talk of the school. Victor, far from being angry about being defeated when as far as anyone knew he was running uncontested was thrilled for his friend, going around with him as students came up to him to congratulate him and shake his hand. The Rangers all watched, shaking their heads, but smiling as they saw this.

"I still can't believe Monty's the President now." Calvin commented. "Talk about coming from nowhere."

"A lot of kids saw the way he stood up to Ace and were really impressed." Hayley commented. "A lot of people are saying if he'll stand up to Ace the way he did, then they're confident he'll be able to stand up to the student-staff consultative board."

"I didn't know the little guy had it in him." Preston stated. "But you know what? I reckon he could be a really good President!"

"I think so too." Sarah answered. "So, does anyone have any plans?"

"Levi and Tom were taking me out to dinner at some place in the city." Brody stated.

"You're going to dinner with Tom, the guy that called you a plagiarist for weeks?" Preston asked. "Awkward!"

"Well, maybe a little, but the fact of the matter is he was Levi's family all the time he was…well…Levi." Brody told them. "Levi thinks it'd be a good idea for us to get to know each other a little better. In a way, we are all family, so I can understand he'd really like it if we could all get along better."

"That's really great to hear." Sarah answered. "I really hope things work out for you guys."

"I really hope the fact we're past show time means that Cosmo's going with a clip show." Preston said as he put his arm around Sarah. "I could really use a quiet night."

Just then, there was a huge roar, and the whole building shook. Students started screaming and lights flickered. The Rangers all ran outside, to where they could see an object streaking across the sky, trailing long, flaming tracks in the sky and billowing smoke as it came overhead.

"What the hell is that?" Calvin asked, before a loud boom off in the distance.

"Whatever it is, it looks like it came down in the mountains." Brody stated, getting on his Ninja-Comm. "Mick, did you see…?"

"A huge fireball in the sky? Yeah, it was kind of hard to miss." Mick told them. "The scanners are going wild in here. The FAA doesn't have any flight paths in the area so it's not a civilian plane."

"We need to go!" Sarah stated. "People could be hurt!"

"NINJA SPIN!" They yelled as they morphed and leapt onto their Mega Morph cycles, heading out to investigate the mysterious object.

Over at the street party, things were going well. It had started out as a promotional event, but it was pretty quickly just becoming a fun day. Al was standing by the grill, with a few of his clients all around him.

"So, the secret to a perfect burger is not to move it too much." Al told them all.

"Unlike your insurance, which it's advised to shop around for every year to avoid 'apathy tax'." One of his clients said. Al just pointed to him.

"I'm glad to hear that some of you listen to me." Al answered as he started dishing up some burgers. Ellie just pointed up.

"What's going on here?" She asked, seeing a police cruiser rolling into the street and pulling up to the curb. As a red-haired cop and a young, dark-haired cop got out and headed their way, Al smiled.

"Oh, that would just be sour grapes." Al commented as the two officers came up to the grill. "Can I help you officers?"

"I'm afraid not, we're on duty right now. I'm Constable Reed, and this is Constable Skullovitch." The red-haired cop greeted them. "We got a complaint about this gathering."

"Well, I've kept the noise down, we've been clearing up our waste." Al told him.

"I have to ask to see your permit Mr…?" Spike asked. Al reached into his pocket to fish it out.

"Thompson. It's right here." He told them, handing it over.

"Thompson? Wait, you're in district eight…are you SARAH Thompson's parents?" Trevor asked.

"We are." Ellie replied.

"She goes to school with my step-daughter!" He answered with a bright smile. "Hayley Foster?"

"So, YOU'RE the cop that married Hayley's mom?" Ellie asked him. "What a small world!"

"It is indeed and call me Trevor." He answered. "Is the permit in order?"

"Everything looks good here, it's even stamped." Spike answered. "Everything checks out. Whoever called this in just wasted our time."

"Well, now that's dealt with." Trevor said, with a smile, adopting a less formal stance. "Are any of those hot dogs going begging? They smell amazing!"

"The name's Al, and anything for local law enforcement." Al replied. "How about you?"

"Um…yeah, the same." Spike replied. Just then, there was a massive roar that echoed overhead and a rumble that shook the street, setting off every car alarm on the street. Massive trails of flame burned across the sky, and smoke billowed out from something as it streaked through the sky.

"WHOA! What was that?" Spike exclaimed.

"I'm sorry, it looks like we're going to have to take a rain-check on those hot dogs Al." He said as he rushed towards the cruiser with Spike in tow. "Welcome to Summer Cove probie."

"Hey, I went to school in Panorama City in 2011." Spike answered. "I've seen plenty!"

"That's what I like to hear Skullovitch, confidence!" Trevor said as he gunned the engine, turning on the siren. "This is car forty-two, responding to an unidentified flying object heading over the city. In pursuit!"

The Rangers got to the mountains outside of the city, finding massive tracks leading through the ground from the impact site. The trails dragged for some way, before the object came to rest, imbedded in the cliff face. Rocks had fallen down around it, but enough was still visible they could see that it was a vehicle of some kind, but it wasn't any kind of human vessel. Wherever it had come from, it didn't look like it had come from Earth.

"Is that the Lion Ship?" Preston asked as they got off their bikes.

"I…I think it is!" Hayley said, unable to tell because it was still half-buried.

"Hold on, something's happening!" Brody said as a panel opened up. The Rangers all prepared their weapons as a man came staggering out. He was covered in blood, and clearly injured, likely from the crash. He was wearing armour, and a tattered cape that had only barely survived. More importantly, he was carrying a blaster rifle, one that he ended up pointing right at the Rangers. He started to scream at them in a foreign tongue, and the nature of his tone did not sound friendly.

"Put the gun DOWN!" Preston yelled at him.

"I don't think that's going to work Preston! He sounds…he sounds more scared than anything." Hayley warned him, holding out her hands to gesture the others to hold off. She made sure the man could see her taking out her sword and laying it down. "We mean you no harm! We came to see if anyone is hurt!"

The Rangers were lost at this point. Thanks to her gift, Hayley instinctively switched to the language of the person she was speaking to. He pointed the rifle at her, causing the others to get ready in case they needed to act, but Hayley continued.

"We don't want to hurt you. We want to help." She reiterated. She saw a crest on his armour. "You're from the Lion Galaxy?"

The man looked around them, shakily making his way forward a few steps.

"Please, we don't want trouble, put the gun down." She beckoned him. "Is there anyone else on the ship?"

The man slumped against some rubble, before completely collapsing on the ground. The Rangers ran over to him, Calvin kicking his gun away while the others checked on him.

"It's…it's too late." Sarah said, looking to him sadly. "He's dead."

"We need to check the rest of the ship." Brody stated. They all went into the ship, quickly sweeping through it as they looked around for survivors.

"I recognise this. This is definitely the Lion Ship." Brody told them.

"Guys!" Levi called out. They quickly assembled on Levi's location, where they found something none of them were prepared for.

"Princess Viera?" Sarah asked, looking to their ally. It was Viera, but she did not look to be in a good way. She was dressed in rough, plain clothing. Her hair was messy and looked like she hadn't had the opportunity to wash in some time. Her body was covered in numerous injuries, none of which looked like they came from the accident. She was wearing shackles on her ankles and her wrists, with short lengths of chain still attached, which made it look like she had been broken out very recently. Around her neck, she wore a collar that was made of a silver metal. She looked to them all.

"My bodyguard?" She asked them.

"He's dead." Sarah said sadly. "He succumbed to his injuries just outside."

"What happened here?" Levi asked her. She just looked to them.

"I scheduled my coronation, and at the ceremony I declared my new outlook on the direction of the Lion Galaxy as I promised." She told them. "A lot of people didn't like the new ideas. I've been deposed."

 **FIN**

 **A/N:** Sorry to end on a cliffhanger, but I just couldn't resist! Don't worry, the next story will begin very soon.


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